We Rise
by hymnsin
Summary: "The birth of three who were not meant to be will give rise to revolution." In the conservative MarshClan, a younger generation of cats threatens to reform their unjust society, which bans any lifestyle or physical characteristic that does not align with the norm. However, doing so means blasphemy, and their lives are at stake to bring the Fallen the life they deserve.
1. Prologue

Light, blinding and hot, it welcomed Sedgekit into the world with its unforgiving shine. It pierced through the tangle of cypress roots to hit the nursery and provide its heat for the young kits nestled there. Though the brown fur on her face felt warm, her eyes burned, and the world around her overwhelmed her senses. It made her cry. A gentle murmur and a rasping tongue against her cheek pacified her loud mew.

"Close your eyes, Sedgekit," her mother murmured. Sedgekit was solaced by the affection in her mother's familiar voice. "The light is too much for your young eyes."

Sedgekit rolled over from her back, blinking the pain away. The nursery was quiet, and Sedgekit could see the slivers of sunlight that penetrated through the canopy of roots. She screwed her blue eyes up to see her mother, Mothfur, gazing down on her with concern in her amber eyes. Sedgekit gave a small smile, crawling between her resting siblings, Rabbitkit and Mistkit, to nestle close to the golden fur of her mother's chest. Mothfur smelled sweet and the purr she gave was like a lullaby. She peeked up from her chest gingerly, afraid of being blinded again.

"Sleep, Sedgekit," Mothfur cooed. "You don't need to see the world all at once."

Sedgekit yawned, fighting the wave of fatigue wracking her little body. Her tiny claws kneaded the mossy bedding they nested in anxiously. The sun was so bright, but it could shine light on so much. The mysterious scents and sounds that perplexed her for so long could finally be visualized. She felt her heart skip in her chest.

"But-"

Her mewl was silenced by Mothfur's soothing licks and reverberating purrs. Soon, Sedgekit surrendered to sleep, shutting her eyes to the world once more.

"Oh, my Sedgekit…" Mothfur trailed off, sweeping her plume-like golden tail around her three kits. "My darlings." She frowned. "I pray to StarClan that your destinies will be merciful, but if they aren't, promise me you won't give up. Promise me."

"That's quite the burden to place on our kits so soon," a joking voice interrupted Mothfur. Her amber eyes found her mate, Shaleheart, standing in the entrance of the nursery. His golden eyes glowed. "Let them enjoy their innocence, Mothfur."

Mothfur was not amused by his light-hearted remark, and she refused to look at him again when he crossed the shadows of the nursery to settle beside her. She did allow a small smile to cross her face, however, for the feeling of his nose pressing against her cheek struck a chord in her heart.

"I'm their mother. I'm allowed to worry," she retorted half-heartedly, smile fading. "They already have so much against them… I fear they will not know how to handle their fate when the time comes."

"Show some faith," Shaleheart advised. "They're our kits, after all. They can take on anything."

"Easy for you to say," Mothfur rebuked, "you didn't receive the vision that I had. The prophecy they've been given is not gracious."

Shaleheart stared at his mate and kits, silenced by the worry in her tone. His smile reappeared, however, and he was optimistic. "Maybe not, but I knew from the moment I saw our kits that they would be capable of doing great things."

Mothfur nodded slowly. "That's what I'm afraid of." As she gazed at her sleeping kits, the echo of her ancestors whispered in her head. _The birth of three who were not meant to be will give rise to revolution._


	2. Trial and Error

Hammering against her chest, Sedgepaw could feel her heart about to burst in its rib cage. Her white paws kneaded into the cool sand. Her pulse coursed through her veins like the rushing stream beside her. Droplets of water splashed from the babbling brook to kiss her toes, prompting her claws to unsheathe. Before her stood a small, dusky black cat, and his tail was lashing aggressively. Sedgepaw could feel her spine stiffen at the sight of his burning orange eyes, which bore into her own golden ones menacingly. They were deadlocked between their flaming flares, and the impasse did not break until the screech of a distant kestrel inspired Sedgepaw's strike. The broad muscles in her shoulders tightened when the tomcat dove to her left, as if sensing her intention to land the first hit, and he faked her out with a swipe at her ear. He was fast, a dancing shadow armed with teeth and claws. Sedgepaw's ear was ringing, but she doubled back and curled her lip at him.

"Cheap shot," she hissed. Her back was to the river, she could hear it running behind her, trapping her.

The tomcat chuckled, his graying, scarred muzzle twisting into a mocking grin. "But you're so big and tough, you should be able to handle little ol' me," he taunted.

Sedgepaw glared and darted towards him with a frustrated yowl. She intended to pin him down and let her fangs do the talking. A bite to the throat would fix his sneer. Her paws hit sand instead of her target; he vanished in a twist of black fur and a wake of disturbed dust. Her attacker twisted downward and snaked towards her underbelly, where his hindlegs batted her tender stomach relentlessly. Sedgepaw gasped out startled breaths, her chest heaving in fear when she realized her mistake. Rolling away, she got back to her paws after putting distance between them again. Her brow furrowed, and she tensed in preparation to spring.

"Enough," he grumbled, getting to his paws. The tomcat gazed across the sandy shore with a stern frown on his broad face. "I can only handle so much disappointment in one session."

Sedgepaw ducked her head, sitting with defeat coloring her face. "I was closer this time, Batface," she argued grudgingly.

"Could have fooled me." He rasped his tongue methodically against his paw before rubbing it against his flat muzzle with a grunt. "You're still a thoughtless, impulsive opponent."

"Ouch," Sedgepaw grumbled, resting on her haunches with a roll of her eyes. "You really know how to flatter a she-cat, Batface."

Batface spat, stamping his paw onto the sand. "Enough with the sass… You will never become a warrior if you charge at your opponent like a startled boar." His gravelly voice was tinged with distaste.

Sedgepaw rolled onto her back and groaned. "I'm sorry, okay? But it's just so annoying! Whenever I come at you, you're gone. How can I get stronger if I can't even land a hit?"

Her mentor approached her, his shadow casting over her pouting face. "Strength is not what you're lacking, Sedgepaw," Batface assured her. "You can hit hard."

Sedgepaw's golden eyes screwed up to gaze at him hopefully. A smile slowly crept on her face. "Is that an actual compliment, Batface?"

He frowned and swatted her nose with an annoyed hiss, "It's too bad you're a mouse-brain that can't think on her toes."

Sedgepaw's eyes watered and she sneezed after receiving his scornful gesture. She sat up as he stalked passed her, heading towards the rows of skinny pine tree saplings that framed the riverbank on the crest of the slope. She flinched at his sharp glance, but when he turned tail she stuck her tongue out at him. Once he had disappeared beneath the low-hanging branches, she wallowed in self-disappointment.

"Wow, you really rubbed his fur the wrong way this time," Mistpaw observed.

Sedgepaw swung her head around to see her sister and her mentor, Palestream, standing side-by-side. With a grimace, she turned her head away and pretended they were not there to witness her pouting display. Palestream slipped by, walking on her dainty silver paws wordlessly; she melted into the shadows of the pine trees, and Sedgepaw could hear her soft murmurs of consolation for Batface. Sedgepaw took a swipe at the sand, imagining it to be her mentor's disapproving face.

Mistpaw's nose poked at Sedgepaw's shoulder. "Do you always give Batface such a hard time?"

"Ugh, not you too?" Sedgepaw snapped. "So what if I want to do things my way? My way's better! If he wasn't such a flaky fighter, tch, dancing around on his toes like a heron… I'd probably win."

Mistpaw laughed and shook her head. "Probably." She stared at Sedgepaw with concern glazing over her golden eyes. Shrugging sheepishly, she continued, "But if you want to become a warrior with me and Rabbitpaw, you-you're going to have to start listening to him."

"Yeah, yeah," Sedgepaw grumbled. She knew Mistpaw was trying to encourage her, but she could only feel a twinge of gratefulness in her aggravated state of mind. Fixing her sister with a glare that slowly softened into a gaze of gratitude, she leaned against her with a huff. "We'll get there... together."

Mistpaw beamed and traced her pale gray tail along Sedgepaw's back. "Always!"

"Hey, you two!" Batface's yowl echoed from the thick of the pine trees. "Hurry along, or I'll drag you both back to camp like naughty kits!"

Sedgepaw rolled her eyes, getting to her paws and dashing for the slope. The pine trees shed their needles onto the ravine, and they avalanched to the sandy bank below as Sedgepaw and her sister scrabbled up. The sinking sun burned amber, and its dimming glow soaked through the petite pine trunks to light the forest floor with golden stripes. Sedgepaw ran through the rows of shadows and light, which took turns dimming and flashing before her eyes as her paws carried her through the trees. She could feel Mistpaw at her heels. She laughed and unsheathed her claws, playfully digging up pine needles in her sprint, which rose up into Mistpaw's face, pricking her nose.

"Hey, watch it, you!" Mistpaw hissed, nipping at Sedgepaw's thick, mottled brown tail.

Sedgepaw laughed louder, breaking through the dense pine forest and into a sea of bright green palmettos. Their fanned out palms whisted in the wind, and Sedgepaw could see the tails of their mentors standing tall among them. The floor of pine needles thinned to dust, and Sedgepaw jumped into the mass of palmettos with a crash. Mistpaw followed soon after, landing beside Sedgepaw with a soft pant. Then, a third crash sounded. Sedgepaw stiffened.

"What in the-" Sedgepaw's bewildered question was interrupted when a mass of pale brown fur collided into her. With her breath knocked out of her, her golden eyes bulged as a heavy tomcat knocked her onto her back. His head blocked out the setting sun, which outlined his massive head and broad, tufted ears.

"Rabbitpaw!" Mistpaw hollered.

Sedgepaw hissed as her brother tried to pin her down. She could hear the deep rumble of laughter in his chest when she was seized by a sneezing fit, for their collision disturbed the dust enough to assault her face. "Fresh-kill!" he yowled.

Sedgepaw glared up at him, not keen on the idea of being defeated twice in one day. Flexing the thick muscles in her hind legs, she pushed up against his chest, sending him bowling backwards into the palmetto fronds. "And so the hunter becomes the hunted," she roared, diving after him with an excited laugh. Revenge was sweet.

"Oh, no!" Rabbitpaw squeaked. "The big, bad Sedgepaw's gonna get me!"

"Damn right I am!" Sedgepaw growled, her eyes noticing his white-tipped tail above the green fans. She sprang just beside it, knowing her pesky brother would be there. "Gotcha!" She hissed, feeling him squirm beneath her white paws.

"Hey, I give! I give!" he screeched frustratedly. Sedgepaw raised her chin haughtily, crushing him into the dust. "Gah! Dammit, Sedgepaw! I can't breathe!"

"Serves you right, you foxheart!" Sedgepaw taunted. Her feathery, sepia-colored tail curling with amusement.

Mistpaw's voice of concern sounded from behind her. "Come on, Sedgepaw, I think he's learned his lesson." The fret in her voice was clear, and Sedgepaw knew she was antsy for their truce.

Sedgepaw backed off, giving a snicker. Rabbitpaw rose from the palmettos with a loud, exaggerated inhale, giving a few coughs before mock-fainting. Sedgepaw laughed again, but Mistpaw was unamused, glaring between her two siblings with the irritation of an exasperated mother.

"Oh, I am on my way to StarClan now!" Rabbitpaw wailed. "Big, fat Sedgepaw crushed me like an ant!"

Sedgepaw curled her lip at the remark and swatted down at him, making him squeak in surprise. "Shut your face, Rabbitpaw, or I'll really send you off to StarClan."

"You guys are so annoying," Mistpaw grumbled, stalking away from them with her tail dragging. "Can we hurry along, now? I'm hungry."

Sedgepaw followed after her sister, kicking dust on Rabbitpaw as she left. He gave a cough and trailed after them, but not without giving his sister's tail a swat. They continued to bump shoulders on the way back to camp. Mistpaw led the way with her ears twitching in annoyance. Sedgepaw brushed against her, offering her an apologetic smirk, and Mistpaw responded to it with a snort and a shake of her head. Feeling Mistpaw brush back up against her made Sedgepaw aware of her forgiveness. Meanwhile, Rabbitpaw was still keen on taunting his siblings, nipping at their tails in rotation.

Sedgepaw gazed up at the sky, watching it melt from a blood-orange hue to smoky blue. The strips of silver clouds became nearly transparent as the sun settled against the horizon, allowing the moon to materialize amongst the first few stars. Tranquility soothed Sedgepaw's young, vibrant heart, and she glanced between her two siblings with contentment on her face. They were apprentices for three moons now, and before long they would be warriors of MarshClan. Before long, they would not have the time to take leisurely strolls.

The ground beneath her paws dampened and the palmettos no longer grew from the earth. Instead, the ripe scent of bog hit her nose, and the city maidencane and reeds developed, towering above the three apprentices. Any other cat would be intimidated by the tender, watery marsh between their toes and the intimidating sight of foliage creating a wall before them, but Sedgepaw and her siblings were unperturbed. Home.

"Finally!" Mistpaw mewed. "We're back."

Instead of diving into the shady depths of the reeds, Mistpaw splattered into the boggy water. Her sister rolled in the mud, letting the murky brown gunk slick across her fur. Her pelt had layers of light gray which paled into silver at the ends of her body, but once she dove into the mud, she was just one layer of brown. As for Rabbitpaw, his light brown fur became a shade darker with his new pelt of mud. Droplets of it oozed from the tips of his ears, and he gave his body a shake, showering Sedgepaw in beads of rank-smelling sludge. Despite the odor, Sedgepaw flopped into the swamp with her siblings. The various blotches of brown on her pelt only darkened when she soaked herself. The mud helped to slick their fur, granting the apprentices to slip through the serrated stalks of sawgrass and cane without injury.

Sedgepaw went first. Her muddied paws carried her swiftly through the grasses, which hissed and hustled quietly against her, carrying the whispers of her Clanmates. Their familiar scent embraced her with warmth and beckoned her deeper, deeper into the darkness of the forest of reeds. Then, a light, a pale light penetrated through the swaying stalks, and Sedgepaw and her siblings entered a clearing. It was a grassy clearing that sat before a broad lake which captured every single star on its dark, watery surface. The moon bleached the clearing of its color, hiding behind a collection of cypress trees with curtains of tangled moss dangling from their droopy branches. The faces of numerous cats turned towards her, their eyes glowing in a fashion parallel to the alabaster sphere above.

"You're late," Mothfur's hushed voice greeted them.

Though Sedgepaw caught her mother's sweet, familiar scent before she appeared, her sudden materialization from her periphery had startled her. There was a glimmer of worry in her amber eyes, and her visage was not smooth and welcoming. The honey-gold stripes that contoured her narrow face conveyed graveness. Sedgepaw felt her heart sink into her stomach.

"Late for what?" Rabbitpaw piped up, gleefully unaware of their mother's solemnity.

Mistpaw pressed against Sedgepaw, and she knew her sister felt the same amount of concern for their mother when she hesitated to respond to Rabbitpaw. "Mothfur?" Sedgepaw prompted anxiously.

Mothfur's amber eyes flashed when she glanced down at her kits. Her long, feathery tail swept towards the clearing. MarshClan was gathering there. "There is a trial," she explained poignantly. "Kitestar summoned the Clan before the Fallen Cypress; it's starting now."

Sedgepaw exchanged glances with her siblings, they all had eyes as wide as the moon. This would be the first trial she witnessed, and instead of feeling excited, she felt… scared. Mistpaw and Rabbitpaw left her to trail after Mothfur as she led the way towards the Fallen Cypress. The swell of its gray roots were coated with spongy green moss. The length of the trunk had been severed by lightening long ago, leaving the lower half to withstand the test of time while its branches and leaves were no longer, having withered long ago. At the peak of its jagged crown stood Sedgepaw's leader, Kitestar.

Her severe, sharp voice rang out for the entire camp to here. "MarshClan, gather!" She commanded. Under the moonlight, her amber eyes burned like embers. "With urgency, I must address the latest scandal brought to my attention."

There was an excited murmur that erupted among the cats. They exchanged whispers with bobbing heads and swaying tails like ducks, eager to share what they already knew of the trial with each other. Sedgepaw perked her ears to decipher what was being said, but it was nothing but a mess of slurs and garbled phrases to her. It seemed her heart was hammering again; this time, it rung loudly in her ears drowning out what was being said around her.

It was Kitestar's voice that rung out next, "Silence!" Her hiss was obeyed. The black blotches on her white fur appeared blacker in the night, and the muscles in her shoulder rippled when she stomped her paw onto the crest of the cypress. "The trial begins now. Bring the accused forward."

Sedgepaw reared back on her hind legs, wanting to see who was being brought before their leader. She caught a glimpse of a skinny brown tabby, he was being dragged by his hind legs, for Grayjaw had his claws lodged there. The big gray and white tomcat drug Vinestripe across the ground as if he was a limp piece of prey. The flash of terror in the accused's green eyes was apparent.

Vinestripe? Sedgepaw held her breath, seeing her Clanmate writhe and hiss in the grip of Grayjaw pathetically.

"Watch it, Sedgepaw," an aggravated voice snapped behind her. It was Skinktail. The cranky tortoiseshell screwed her eyes up to glare at the apprentice with annoyance. "Sit on your tail and show some respect."

Sedgepaw grumbled and landed on her forepaws. Again, she was blind to the ordeal, for the sea of pelts impeded her vision. Furrowing her brows, she pushed forward to the front, ignoring the hisses aimed at her bustling. By the time she reached the point where she could see, Vinestripe was sitting upright with his head bowed. His bloody haunches stuck out awkwardly to the side, and Sedgepaw could see the gleam of raw terror in his eyes. The moonlight bore onto his lone figure, the silhouettes of the cats gathered around him were nothing but rows of glowing, accusatory eyes. Something in Sedgepaw's chest twisted grossly, and she suddenly wished to be in the back of the Clan again, ignorant to the sight before her.

Kitestar piped up again, "Before us is Vinestripe, a warrior of MarshClan. He had been honored for his obedience and utility to our Clan, but that honor stands to be relinquished because of his actions." She bowed her head gravely. Sedgepaw could see thoughts running through her leader's eyes, and she did not speak for awhile. The only sound was the screaming of frogs and the whistle of crickets. Then, she continued, "A warrior's duty is to their Clan."

Sedgepaw knew Kitestar was about to recite MarshClan's warrior code, and she tensed up at the thought of breaking it herself. Even in the shadows of the night, Sedgepaw could see Kitestar's beliefs burn bright. Each utterance was delivered with certainty by her leader. Sedgepaw could see Vinestripe tremble between each syllable and she felt herself do the same.

"A warrior must serve their Clan to the greatest of their ability. Every aspect of their life must hold the well-being of the Clan and its future dear. When a warrior has an affliction that prevents complete servitude, they are to face trial." Kitestar narrowed her eyes at Vinestripe. "Vinestripe," she called to him harshly, and he rose his head to her. "Do you know why you are on trial?"

The tomcat flinched, his eyes dancing around at his Clanmates nervously. He shook his head and spoke timorously, "I do not." Vinestripe cleared his throat and raised his chin again. "I-I serve in the best interest of my Clan. I always will."

There was a rush of murmurs that swept through the gathered cats. Some sounded hopeful, others were plagued with doubt. Sedgepaw was silent, staring at Vinestripe and his shivering frame intently. Vinestripe… You're lying. She could tell, for every word he spoke was uncertain and frightened. A truthful warrior spoke clearly and proudly.

Vinestripe was transparent to Kitestar. She frowned at him, her visage becoming severe. "You had your chance to speak the truth."

Vinestripe struggled to intervene before she continued. "But, Kitestar! You know I am loyal! I wouldn't do anything to-"

"Silence!" She snapped, her amber eyes burning down on him. "Vinestripe you are a liar and a disgrace to our Clan."

"No!"

Kitestar raised her tail for silence. Vinestripe complied. Not even the distant frogs or crickets sang their nighttime song anymore. Sedgepaw felt suffocated by the silence, and she could feel her fur begin to prickle. She had only heard tale of what was to come, but unlike her Clanmates, she did not bear an eager gleam in her golden eyes. Instead, she braced herself on Vinestripe's behalf.

"MarshClan does not tolerate homosexuality, Vinestripe. You are expected to take on a mate and bring life into this Clan. You cannot do so when you lay with another tomcat."

Sedgepaw felt her throat tighten when Vinestripe wailed, "You have no proof of that!"

Kitestar shook her head, looking disappointed in his reaction. With a flick of her long tail, she summoned, "Witnesses, proceed. Let us unmask the squalor."


	3. To Skin a Cat

Distant cries from a barred owl echoed through the swamp. A cool breeze caused the reeds to shiver and the branches of the cypress trees to hiss. Sedgepaw shivered with them, but not for the chilling wind. Instead, it was the sight of her prosecuted Clanmate that iced her bones. She wrapped her tail around her white paws, tightly hugging herself with it. Hopefully, her fear was not evident in her scent. MashClan took pride in unveiling the sinners; the only ripe smell of fear inhaled was coming from Vinestripe. He was sitting before Kitestar, enduring her judgmental glare while the hateful murmurs of his Clanmates surrounded him. The dark stripes on his russet fur ensnared his thin legs in spirals, climbing like vines to his petite shoulders, threatening to drag him into the earth below. If Kitestar had her way, Sedgepaw feared Vinestripe really would end up buried tonight.

"Vinestripe," Kitestar yowled, "the witnesses of your transgression will now speak."

From the ranks of MarshClan, two cats stepped into the spotlight of the moon. One was a small, pale brown she-cat, Otternose. She rose her black nose with pride and regarded Vinestripe with a pompous smirk and disdainful glare. The other was the rookie warrior, Smokefoot, and he refused to make eye contact with anyone but his white toes. Sedgepaw remembered his ceremony, for it had only been the moon prior. At that time, he was brimming with confidence and joy. Now, he appeared downcast and defeated.

"Otternose," Kitestar beckoned promptly. "State your claim against Vinestripe."

Otternose bowed her head to their leader, before fixating her umber eyes onto the quivering Vinestripe. Bleached by the moon's oppressive glow, he seemed to shrivel like a withered vine. Sedgepaw tasted bile in the back of her throat when she heard the squeaky, fastidious voice escape Otternose; she was keen on skinning Vinestripe with her accusation to expose his tender insides to the masses. "I always suspected Vinestripe for harboring secrets. He was painfully docile and eager to please," she began, her long tail coiling like a viper about to strike. There was an echo of agreement between the gathered cats around them. "He never wanted to attract too much attention, whether good or bad, but most importantly…" Her voice trailed off and a theatrical "pause for effect" ensued.

"This is wrong." A soft mew preceded the feeling of fur brushing up against Sedgepaw's flank. Shaken from her intense focus on the trial, she turned to see Blueflower beside her, staring with wide eyes at the unfolding scene before them. Those bright blue eyes flickered to her, and Sedgepaw could not look away, she was lost in their depths, drowning. They shone like the moon above, but there was a twinkle in them she could not ignore. She could see pain and fear, and she recognized those emotions because she felt the same.

"What do you mean?" Sedgepaw whispered, surprised by the amount of desperation in her voice. "Isn't this what's supposed to happen?"

"That doesn't make it right," Blueflower replied her gentle voice breaking. Her long, blue-gray fur glowed under the moonlight like a dayflower's petal, but the expression on her face was dark.

Before Sedgepaw could respond, Otternose's accusatory voice piped up again. "Vinestripe never showed a fraction of interest in she-cats." Even as her hiss stabbed the silence of the Clan, shattering it with a hateful tone, Sedgepaw did not look away from Blueflower, though her Clanmate returned her attention to Vinestripe's trial. "He never pursued a mate, and at first, I thought it was because he was a shy one. However, once I mentioned my suspicion to Smokefoot, it all became clear."

Vinestripe's head snapped up then, and he whipped his head around to stare at Smokefoot. He was standing beside Otternose, still refusing to meet his Clanmate's wounded green eyes. "Smokefoot?" Sedgepaw's ears twitched when she detected a hint of shock in the warrior's voice. Was it so unexpected for Smokefoot to speak out against him? If so, why?

Kitestar continued to supervise the exchange between her warriors. Her eyes narrowed at Smokefoot. "Otternose, what did Smokefoot share with you when you voiced your uncertainty to him?" she prompted.

Otternose obliged her leader's request. "Apparently, Vinestripe was making passes at him for the past moon." Sedgepaw saw Otternose's ochre eyes sparkle when her words ignited an uproar of excited whispers among her Clanmates. "What was once subtle flirtation soon evolved into a full-blown confession of love."

Sedgepaw stiffened when she felt the tension break in the gathered crowd of MarshClan. Hisses of disgust and rage boiled up from their tongues to fill the air with heated prejudice against Vinestripe. Glancing around at the faces of her Clanmates, she saw nothing but shock, fear, and hate. There was only one face that remained empathetic, and it belonged to the she-cat beside her: Blueflower. Her round face was solemn, her small muzzle tilted downward as if she were mourning, and her impossibly bright blue eyes were full of emotion that Sedgepaw did not recognize. Among the chaos of her indignant Clanmates, Blueflower was silent, but her body language spoke louder than any caterwaul. She was grieving for Vinestripe.

Kitestar's yowl brought a cessation to the madness among the ranks of MarshClan, and their outrage simmered down to waves of restless, dodgy bright eyes and discontented murmurs. MarshClan's leader flickered her amber gaze onto Smokefoot, who remained silent for the entirety of the trial thus far.

"Smokefoot," Kitestar began, "you came forward as a witness, did you not? Witnesses are obligated to voice their claims, yet you have let Otternose consume the floor without a qualm."

"Apologies." Smokefoot nodded once, tucking his white chin against the feathery fur of his chest. "Well," he rasped. "I-This, um, experience has stunned me, Kitestar." He hesitated, his green eyes honing in on his white toes, which unsheathed and sheathed his claws repeatedly, nervously.

"You are not alone in this," Kitestar assured him. "Now, tell us what happened."

"What Otternose said is true." Smokefoot's timorous voice resounded weakly like a wailing frog. "Vinestripe approached me… More than once."

Before the uproar reoccurred in the masses, Kitestar rose her long tail for silence. Sedgepaw could see Vinestripe, but he was no longer hanging his head with shame; instead, he was staring into Smokefoot. The expression on his face twisted into a confusing combination of pain and anger. Smokefoot was ignorant to the accusatory glower of Vinestripe, however, for he only stared at his paws. Otternose regarded the exchange with a smug expression and a keen tilt of her head.

"I-I thought he was joking at first," Smokefoot confessed, a crooked smile on his jaw. A ghost of a chuckle faintly entered the clearing, escaping his lips weakly, but it faded when Smokefoot spoke again. "I mean, two tomcats together? It was absurd… But he was serious; he really did love me."

"I see… What a bold confession," Kitestar mused.

Otternose chimed in when given the opportunity. "It's true, and it's such a shame. Vinestripe was a good warrior, but he let his abominable appetite get the best of him."

"Don't." Vinestripe's voice rung out in a somber rasp. "Don't speak of me as if I am not here."

Kitestar acknowledged her warrior with a nod, her clipped tone sharp enough to snap the maidencane around them. Swift as a scythe slicing through wheat, she struck Vinestripe with her accusation. "But you do realize the punishment for your crime? We have two witnesses, and that is all we need to condemn you, Vinestripe. And doomed cats do not exist to us in MarshClan." There was an echo of agreement from the gathered Clan cats coming to aid their leader in her ruling. "You are Fallen."

Sedgepaw stood up then, brought to her feet by her subconscious; it felt like strings plucked her limbs to bring her upright, but she failed to understand why. All around her, MarshClan was hooting and hollering at the success of the trial. They were a mess of gesticulating shadows, relishing the downfall of their once respected Clanmate as if it were a decadent meal. Unmasking a Fallen was a cause for celebration, but this did not seem right at all to Sedgepaw.

 _Vinestripe, won't you say something?_ Sedgepaw bit her tongue. She wanted to say something in the warrior's defense, though she scarcely knew of him or his personal life. She was still a young apprentice, making friends of a warrior was not common for her age. Yet, she felt an arcane kinship between them. Somehow, they shared something, and Sedgepaw could hardly stand to watch him remain exposed to the vicious slurs aimed at him. Fear held her back. The gnawing sensation of fear reminded her of the consequences that lingered for those that spoke out in support of a Fallen. The wretched possibilities burrowed into her, preventing her from articulating anything but a soft whimper.

"However," Kitestar relented, "you are granted final words before we banish you. So, speak, if you must."

From her pedestal, Sedgepaw could not perceive Kitestar as anything but a hallowed persecutor, and she was frightened. She should venerate her leader, but when she gazed up at Kitestar, her blood turned to ice. She was far above them, out of reach, but she brought her gavel down on Vinestripe with divine force.

Vinestripe, meek and defeated, only bowed his head. "There is nothing to say. I know that the gravity of my words means nothing to you all… You've passed your judgment." His eyes were shut as he murmured, and Sedgepaw could barely understand him, for his tone was nearly inaudible. "I deny nothing." His voice rose an octave. "I regret nothing."

"Then, I hereby declare Vinestripe to be Fallen, for he has lost his grace in the eyes of StarClan as a result of his affairs. From this night and beyond, he will not be allowed on our sacred grounds. From this night and beyond, he is no longer one of us, but an outcast. MarshClan has no place for the Fallen." Kitestar bowed her head solemnly, and silence followed, thick and heavy. It was as if they mourned Vinestripe's death rather than his departure. The distant, ethereal song of the crickets became a requiem.

Vinestripe stood shakily, blood trickling down from his hind legs where Grayjaw wounded him. Sedgepaw was trembling on her paws as she regarded her Fallen Clanmate. Otternose and Smokefoot disappeared into the crowd surrounding him, and he was alone. Sedgepaw glanced up at the stars for the first time that night. They sparsely peppered the dark sky, twinkling in silence. There would be no divine intervention tonight.

"Claytooth," Kitestar summoned her deputy. "Escort Vinestripe with Grayjaw to the edge of our territory. See to it that he leaves and never returns."

Claytooth materialized from the shadows of the Fallen Cypress. His russet fur stuck out at awkward angles as if he struggled while his mother bathed him with her tongue. His bright yellow eyes flickered to Vinestripe, and he greeted the Fallen with a curled lip. Grayjaw reappeared as well, coming from the crowd to stand beside Claytooth with a malignant visage, albeit more vicious because of his protruding lower jaw. His bottom fangs curled into his upper lip like a boar's, giving the impression of a permanent glower. They flanked Vinestripe on either side, looking like two mountains towering over a tiny valley, but Vinestripe did not shiver. He stood with a look of resignation on his face even as Grayjaw swatted the back of his head with a massive gray paw.

"Alright, you, let's go," Grayjaw growled.

As the Fallen disappeared through the reeds with his escorts, the Clan exploded in a frenzy of conversation. With wild eyes and shocked faces, they recalled the happenings of the trial as if it happened a moon ago, retelling it and twisting it to fancy their imaginations. Sedgepaw did not join in. Her belly tightened, and her heart clenched. _This isn't right. This isn't right. This isn't right._

"Hey! Wasn't that crazy?" Rabbitpaw hopped to her side and yowled in her ear. Sedgepaw nearly jumped out of her fur. "Woah, there!" He laughed. "Maybe we should start calling you Rabbitpaw instead?"

Sedgepaw sighed and glared at her brother. "Very funny."

"Come on, don't be a stick in the mud! That was the first trial we've ever seen! Aren't you excited?" Rabbitpaw pressed. The bright gleam in his amber eyes threatened to outshine the moon.

Sedgepaw tried to ignore the disgust she felt towards him. "Why are you so fascinated by it? I thought it was boring… And mean."

"Nonsense!" Rabbitpaw argued. "My mentor Longscar said we're better off without those woodpeckers."

"Rabbitpaw!" Mothfur's scornful voice chimed in as she left the gathered cats to join them with Mistpaw shadowing her. "I'll not tolerate you speaking those slurs at your age." Her sharp glare switched from Rabbitpaw's sheepish face to Sedgepaw's. "And you need to respect our trials, Sedgepaw. Without them, we would never be in StarClan's favor."

Sedgepaw frowned. It seemed she was alone in her dislike of the trial, but then she remembered Blueflower's face and thought better of it. "It just seems unfair. What's so bad about-"

"Not another word, Sedgepaw!" Mothfur hissed, eyes wide with fear. "You cannot ever doubt our ways. You're an apprentice of MarshClan, and you must uphold our beliefs!"

Sedgepaw ducked her head, ignoring Rabbitpaw's taunting snicker. He just seemed to be happy that Mothfur's scorn was focused on her instead. She grunted and rolled her broad shoulders with a grudging look on her face. "Fine…"

Mothfur sighed shakily and rasped her tongue over Sedgepaw's shoulder. "I know it's a lot to understand, but you'll come to see that it's all for the better." Her nose lingered before Sedgepaw's face, and she glanced up at her mother questioningly. "Sedgepaw," she whispered, "you need to promise me that you won't contest the trials again."

Sedgepaw tilted her head. Why was she still pushing this? Sedgepaw snorted, giving her mother a reassuring smile. "Okay, okay, I get it."

Mothfur leaned back and exhaled loudly. "You kits will be the death of me."

Mistpaw stepped out from Mothfur's shadow and made a face of feigned offense. "But I thought you loved us!" she wailed.

Rabbitpaw joined in, giving a mock-cry of hurt. "Mothfur hates us!"

Sedgepaw laughed and noticed her mother's amber eyes melting into a gaze of adoration. She shook her head at Mistpaw and pressed her head against her kit. "How could I ever hate my precious kits?" She began to bathe Mistpaw's ears with her tongue.

"Bleck! Okay! I was just teasing," she protested, her silvery fur standing on end.

Sedgepaw added a teasing remark, "Aw, how cute." She could see Mistpaw flash her a glare, but that only made Sedgepaw smile wider. At this moment, it was easy for her to forget the misfortune that fell on her Clanmate only moments ago.

Mothfur laughed and relented from her attack of loving licks. "You three should go off to your nests now. Your mentors will surely need you up with the sun."

"Of course, Mothfur!" Rabbitpaw piped up, curling his white-tipped tail excitedly. "Longscar said he'd show me some awesome battle moves."

"All the more reason to rest up." Mothfur pressed her nose to each of her kits' ears before disappearing towards the collection of reeds and ferns that made the warriors den.

Sedgepaw was relieved to be freed from her mother's scornful gaze, for she was able to glance about the dissolving mass of MarshClan cats. She was searching for that blue-gray pelt of Blueflower's among the assortment of tabbies and bicolors. Somehow, the she-cat vanished. The only she-cat that seemed to show a shred of sympathy for Vinestripe was gone, and Sedgepaw felt alone in her dilemma. Mistpaw and Rabbitpaw took turns yawning while Sedgepaw became statuesque in her pondering.

"Anyone in there?" Rabbitpaw teased, impeding Sedgepaw's wandering eyes by shoving his face a whisker's length from hers. "Maybe it's time for some shut-eye? You look lost."

Sedgepaw headbutted him. "I'm at a loss for words, actually." Her bushy tail curled in amusement. "I have no idea how your mug got so ugly."

Rabbitpaw's tufted ears flattened, and he rose his paw in preparation for a swing. Sedgepaw flinched but felt no blow, for Blackpaw's voice chimed in. He was standing beside Frogpaw with a keen look on his narrow face. "Some trial, right?" He did not sound pleased in the slightest, his voice was dripping with sarcasm, and his cynical grin was so lopsided Sedgepaw feared it would fall from his snout.

Frogpaw gave a hiccup, or perhaps a chortle, and his wide-set amber eyes glinted. "At least we got that woodpecker out of here. Gross!"

Sedgepaw did not even grace them with a glance. Instead, her eyes peered over Rabbitpaw's shoulder, spotting Blueflower retreating into the den of reeds and cypress branches that composed the warriors den. Wait!

Mistpaw distracted the other two apprentices from Sedgepaw's blatant disinterest in them by indulging them with her reply, "I could barely hear a thing! I was stuck in the back with this chattering squirrel." Her silver-tipped tail flicked at Rabbitpaw, and he shrugged carelessly.

"Well, I can share with you what I saw tomorrow?" Blackpaw offered. Though Sedgepaw was ignoring them, she did not miss the amorous overtone in Blackpaw's voice. "I had a pretty good spot," he boasted. "Frogpaw and I saw the whole thing."

"You didn't miss much," Sedgepaw interjected bluntly. "I was in the front, and it was actually pretty boring." She cast Blackpaw a smug glare when Mistpaw gave a huff of disappointment.

"You seemed pretty interested to me," Blackpaw retorted. "The way you were gawking at Vinestripe, I thought you were going to wail on his behalf."

Sedgepaw bristled, and she felt the fur on her face burn. "I was just shocked is all!"

Blackpaw rolled his green eyes, pushing passed her with a contemplative grunt. "I had a feeling he was an odd bird. With those dodgy eyes and that stuttery voice of his, Grayjaw told me he was suspicious-acting." He raised his chin proudly when he mentioned his mentor. Clearly, he revered his mentor for being tasked with the responsibility of dragging out a Fallen.

Sedgepaw was growing tired of Blackpaw's rambling; he was famous for harping on himself and his beliefs. It made Sedgepaw want to snap those persistent strings so he could only babble like a dazed kit. With her long, mottled brown fur still bristling, she watched Frogpaw waddle after Blackpaw on stumpy legs into the apprentices den. The primrosewillows that composed it shivered upon their entry; their skeletal red stems and trunks had swallowed the apprentices before the curtain of drooping leaves hid the entrance again.

The weight of the night finally crashed on Sedgepaw's shoulders, and her tail drooped with fatigue. "What a night," she whispered.

"I agree," Mistpaw replied before yawning again. "Come on, let's rest."

"Me first!" Rabbitpaw chirped, diving into the den with a ruckus. His white-tipped tail vanished behind the branches, and Sedgepaw smiled fondly when she heard Frogpaw squeal a complaint at her brother for being so noisy.

Pushing through the draping branches, Sedgepaw noticed her friend Cloudpaw was already nested in her bedding of moss. Her black and white fur rose and fell calmly, and Sedgepaw envied her ability to surrender to sleep so soon after Vinestripe's conviction. The entire floor of the apprentices den with thatched with layer upon layer of the wiry gray moss, sponging any moisture that seeped from the emersed roots of the primrosewillows, but it collected in heaps where the apprentices made their nests. Sedgepaw felt like she could collapse anywhere, though.

Taking her spot between Cloudpaw and Mistpaw, she rested on her back to gaze up at the indigo sky through the trembling leaves. The stars suspended above stared back, blinking wordlessly. She could hear her denmates' breathing start to slow one by one as they fell asleep, but Sedgepaw remained alert. Vinestripe's defeated face was branded in her mind's eye, forcing her thoughts to revolve around it. She prayed for sleep until it came. When it did come, it was as if the night sky fell onto her, crushing her in darkness.


	4. Bodies in the Water

Darkness surrounded Sedgepaw. The riverside appeared monochromatic, for there was not a sliver of light to be seen. In the disappearance of the sun and moon, the color was lost. The shadows of the pine trees and cypresses contorted upward instead of resting on the muddy shore, forming a black ribcage on either side of the running water. Sedgepaw gingerly stepped closer, opening her mouth to test the air for any signs of life. MarshClan's territory was deathly quiet, no scuttling prey in the reeds, no birdsong in the branches, no splashes in the water. The only sound came from Sedgepaw's heart, which was steadily beating faster.

This was not home. She wanted to run, but the sand that flanked the river cemented her paws into the ground. The muscles in her limbs rippled in vain for escape. When she opened her mouth to yowl for help, nothing escaped her throat. Swelling shadows engulfed her, and the swamp was pitch black; only the ghostly outlines of the foliage could be seen.

Panicked splashing resonated through the still swamp. Sedgepaw jerked her head around wildly, searching for whomever broke the dreadful silence. It echoed and faded before picking up again, only to echo and fade once more. It sounded like a wounded duck flapping against the current. Still immobile, Sedgepaw inhaled sharply when the river seemed to come towards her. Her periphery became a blur, and all she could perceive was the massive stream before her. It looked like the night sky was trapped in its watery abyss, holding the twinkling stars hostage.

Breaking from its surface, Sedgepaw cried out in surprise to see Vinestripe. His eyes were bulging from their sockets like to green buds about to burst into a bloody bloom. With his jaws agape in horror, only garbled caterwauls escape him. The brackish water flooded his mouth as he struggled against the weight of it, and Sedgepaw likened the sight to mosquitos being trapped by running amber. Once in the midst of it, there were no means of escape. She was helpless to save her Clanmate as his skinny limbs flailed in the black waters, crying and wailing to no avail. Then, a cloud of red swelled beneath the surface, cocooning around Vinestripe's neck so that only his bobbing head remained visible. In the water, everything became red, and Sedgepaw exclaimed in horror when she realized it was blood, Vinestripe's blood. The blossoming gore dominated the entire river, consuming it in its scarlet miasma as Vinestripe's eyes rolled to the back of his skull, turning the sockets a milky white.

To Sedgepaw's horror, Vinestripe's lifeless body was not alone. Several cats' heads buoyed at the red river's surface now, but Sedgepaw could not recognize any of them. Their faces were petrified in permanent expressions of terror, and they floated passed Sedgepaw downstream into the void. Their eyes held bulging white eggs with branches of angry red blood vessels for nests. It was evident their last living moments were unpleasant.

"Sedgepaw," they whispered from motionless mouthes. "Help us."

The echo of their plea rattled her bones. Sedgepaw could not even extend a paw towards them to bring their bodies ashore. She was frozen, useless, hopeless.

"Sedgepaw, Sedgepaw, Sedgepaw."

Sedgepaw squeezed her eyes shut, trying to drown out their repetitive imploring with her frightened protests, but she could not articulate anything more than garbled screams. _Where am I? Take me home! I want to be in MarshClan!_

"Sedgepaw!" She felt herself falling from the sandy bank, into the darkness. "Sedgepaw!"

Shaken from the monochrome forest and its bloody river, Sedgepaw now stared at the displeased face of her denmate, Cloudpaw. Her yellow eyes glinted with concern, but her voice remained deadpan. "You've been here all morning, tossing and turning like a worm being mauled by ants."

Sedgepaw sat up with a groan. "I feel like a worm that's been mauled by ants," she admitted. Every muscle beneath her pelt ached. She was stiff from nose to tail-tip, but the images of her nightmare were the most unbearable.

"Well, snap out of it," Cloudpaw snapped. The black patches of fur beneath her yellow eyes rose when she offered an apologetic smile after being so blunt. "Kitestar called a gathering. There's a ceremony going on," she explained with an inkling more patience.

"Ceremony?" Sedgepaw yawned. Her mind was in a fog, and she could not surmise for who or what the ceremony would be for.

"Did I stutter?" Cloudpaw never stuttered, but Sedgepaw shrugged as if uncertain. She could hear her friend give a huff of annoyance. "Lilykit and Pebblekit are having their apprentice ceremony this morning, remember?"

Sedgepaw pondered, trying to recall the news. All her thoughts were occupied by images of bodies in the river. Their strangled expressions. Vinestripe's screams. The memory of a simple ceremony was drowned by a bloody current.

"Sedgepaw," Cloudpaw pressed, "do you need to see Redleaf? You're acting strangely."

"No-no, it's nothing, Cloudpaw," she assured her. "Let's go watch the ceremony." Seeing the medicine cat was the last thing she wanted to do; if she told Redleaf of the pictures in her head, he would condemn her to bed rest for eternity. An insane warrior was a useless warrior.

Cloudpaw squinted her eyes at Sedgepaw with uncertainty before leaving the den. Sedgepaw followed that black tail into the sunlight where the scent of her gathered Clan nearly drowned out the aroma of blossoming flowers and evaporating dew drops. The morning air was sweet and warm, and there was no pandemonium. Everyone conversed with giddiness at the upcoming event; they twittered like the birds in the trees, surrounding the two kits that sat before the Fallen Cypress where Vinestripe was condemned the night before. Sedgepaw wondered if the stains from his bloodied haunches remained on the grass. She could feel her insides churn at the realization that her Clan carried on as if they did not just exile one of their respected Clanmates on the same spot that they were about to venerate new apprentices. _It's like it never happened..._

Cloudpaw took a seat near the nursery, where the buttonbush shrubs skirted a large willow and its neighboring cypress trees. The willow's shadow presided over a portion of the clearing with its formidable height and Sedgepaw sat in it, happy to escape the brightness of the morning sun. The spiny white blossoms of the shrubs complimented the sweet scent of milk escaping the between the branches of the willow. Sedgepaw was comforted by the nostalgia the wafting aroma carried, but it was not enough to soothe her anxiety. _That dream had to mean something, but what? Ugh, why me?_

Kitestar took her place on the Fallen Cypress, raising her tail for silence. At the foot of the stump, where the spongy green moss bloomed, sat her deputy, Claytooth. His golden eyes shone with unbridled pride, and Sedgepaw could not recall him looking more pleasant before this moment. In the clearing sat two small kits and Sedgepaw gave a snort. They were a puny lot considering their age. She took pride in being one of the largest apprentices; no one ever dared to trifle with her, except for mousebrained Rabbitpaw. Still, her intimidating size did not erase all sense of fright from her; she could still feel her heart race at the thought of being beside the bloody river again.

"Lilykit's nose is so high," Cloudpaw observed with twitching whiskers. "It may grow wings and fly off if she keeps it up."

Sedgepaw made a scoffing noise. "And her littermate is shivering in his fur." The little gray tomcat looked like he wanted to shake the darker dapples on his fur off with all his shivering. "I could squish these two rookies between my paws like nothing," she boasted, curling her white toes with pride.

"And Claytooth will squish you in return," Cloudpaw replied wryly. "I would rather jump into an alligator's jaws than mess with his kits."

"I bet he pushed for their ceremony to come early," Sedgepaw gossiped, her ears swiveling slyly. "His kits are still only five moons old, after all. He's been going on and on about needing more warriors since Shellpelt birthed them."

Sedgepaw was so consumed with her gossip that she failed to realize the Clan fell silent. Though she kept her whispers conspiratorially low, she did not evade Kitestar's scornful glare. With all eyes on her, she dipped her head with a nervous snicker, rasping her tongue bashfully over her chest. Cloudpaw shook her head, a small smile on her face, and Sedgepaw knew she would salt her wound later. She could feel her heart sink when she realized Batface would scorn her for her lack of politeness as well. The day already had a rotten start.

"Now that I have the Clan's full attention," Kitestar began pointedly, "we can begin the ceremony."

With the two kits ruminating with anticipation, Sedgepaw remembered her ceremony. She and her littermates could barely contain their excitement. The idea of finally serving her Clan ignited a flame in her heart that still burned. Every word and formality were fresh in Sedgepaw's memory as if it happened the day prior.

"The desire to achieve, the ambition to succeed, these are the traits of a warrior," Sedgepaw whispered the ceremony's preface in unison with Kitestar. "MarshClan thrives on the will of its members to serve the stars, protect the code, and defend our livelihood."

Sedgepaw sighed heavily, for the weight of her responsibility did not become clear until she saw her first trial. Never before had she considered that condemning Fallen was a part of her duty to MarshClan. She tried to ignore the quiver in her burning passion for her Clan; it was a necessary evil, she tried to convince herself. MarshClan could only survive if it remained in the good graces of StarClan.

"Lilykit, Pebblekit, from this day until the consummation of your warrior ceremony, you will learn our ways and uphold our beliefs with every fiber of your being. You will learn to wield your strength and execute your knowledge in the name of MarshClan."

From the crowd of gathered MarshClan cats, Sedgepaw noticed the sleek brown pelt of Otternose and the golden brown fur of Owleyes separate from the mass of cats. Otternose had her nose in the air, as usual, and she stood before trembling Pebblekit with critical ombre eyes, glowing golden brown. Sedgepaw tried to stifle her snicker in vain, for Pebblekit shriveled like a worm in the sunlight beneath Otternose's glare. As for Owleyes, the tomcat strode towards Lilykit with solemnity on his broad face. Sedgepaw wondered why such a brooding, the unenthusiastic warrior would be chosen for a mentor. Lilykit met Owleyes' stare with a grin of certainty, and Sedgepaw tried to ignore her growing dislike for the cheeky new apprentice.

"Owleyes," Kitestar began, "you have long served our Clan with dignity, and your practiced pride is a trait to be admired. Therefore, I charge you with Lilykit's training in hopes of you bestowing your wisdom and noble determination onto MarshClan's new apprentice."

Owleyes bowed his head before inclining towards Lilykit to rest his white chin on her head. In turn, she rasped her tongue across his shoulder, sealing the bond of warrior and apprentice.

"Otternose," Kitestar started again, "you have long served our Clan with zeal, and your enthusiasm for the Code and our ways is a trait to be admired. Therefore, I charge you with Pebblekit's training in hopes of you bestowing your ardor and undying loyalty onto MarshClan's new apprentice."

Otternose nodded. "Of course, Kitestar." She inclined her head to rest on Pebblekit's head. The little dappled gray tom hesitated before rasping his tongue across her shoulder.

"Now that Lilykit and Pebblekit have accepted their mentors, I hereby pronounce them Lilypaw and Pebblepaw!" Kitestar announced happily. Sedgepaw was taken back by the austere leader's uncharacteristic delight. "MarshClan, let us cheer for our newest apprentices and wish them good tidings for their training to come!"

"Lilypaw! Pebblepaw! Lilypaw! Pebblepaw!" The chorus of cheers drowned out the morning's birdsong. Sedgepaw joined in with the others, applauding the new apprentices despite her misgivings. "Lilypaw! Pebblepaw! Lilypaw! Pebblepaw!"

However, Sedgepaw noticed a particularly silent Clanmate. Just as she had stood out the night before, she stood out in the daylight. Blueflower's blue-gray fur was just as luminous under the sun, and her bright blue eyes, they were downcast once more. She did not cheer for the apprentices. Instead, her eyes averted the crowd of rejoicing Clan cats. She was watching the sky, looking for something amongst the wispy white clouds. Sedgepaw frowned, concerned, but she abruptly glanced away when Blueflower's enigmatic blue eyes turned to her.

"What are you gawking at?" Cloudpaw wondered, sounding annoyed. "Shouldn't you be cheering with the rest of us?"

Sedgepaw gave a snort. "I thought I saw a butterfly." Her reply was nearly drowned out by the applauding cats around them.

Cloudpaw shook her head, her mouth becoming slant with her lack of amusement. "How interesting. Did it wave at you as it fluttered by?" she asked sardonically.

"No, it was too busy staring at the cranky she-cat sitting beside me." Sedgepaw joked.

Cloudpaw remained unamused and rolled her stormy yellow eyes. Sedgepaw leaned against her friend with a goofy smile on her face, trying to perk up her perpetually bitter Clanmate. While most cats were averse to spending time with Cloudpaw, for she always looked like she just swallowed bile and had the attitude to boot, Sedgepaw found her charming beneath that prickly black and white pelt. Cloudpaw glanced at Sedgepaw, giving her a ghost of a smirk before shoving her back.

"Get off me, you big lug."

Sedgepaw laughed and shoved her back, and Cloudpaw responded with another in retaliation. Before long, the two were locked in a wrestle, each trying to knock the other over. Sedgepaw cracked a broad grin when she realized she coerced laughter from Cloudpaw in their jostling. The fun ended prematurely, however, for Batface's shadow loomed over the apprentices, and he cleared his gravelly throat.

"Play time's over, apprentices," he decided. His short, black tail lashed impatiently, and the pensive gleam of his amber eyes threatened to burn a hole in Sedgepaw's mottled brown fur.

Sedgepaw untangled herself from Cloudpaw with a huff. Her long fur stuck out at various angles like ruffled feathers, and she gazed at her mentor bashfully. "Of course, Batface." I'd be a mousebrain to think play time wouldn't be over with you around… She thought grudgingly.

Beside him, Shaleheart was smiling at the two apprentices. The gray tomcat looked like he wanted to join in on the tussling, but conceded to Batface's seriousness with a stern nod. "It's time for our morning routine, Cloudpaw."

"Since you two are paired, we'll be training together today," Batface explained.

Sedgepaw nodded, acknowledging the fact that paired apprentices often train together, building off each other's strengths and weaknesses. It was the best way to train hard and learn fast, but Sedgepaw always loathed paired training days; Cloudpaw was faster and agiler than she, and if the day began with a race, Sedgepaw knew she was already beaten. Glancing behind the two mentors, Sedgepaw noticed her littermates Mistpaw and Rabbitpaw joining their pairs. Rabbitpaw hopped alongside the waddling Frogpaw, jabbering like a jackdaw. Mistpaw and Blackpaw were leaving camp, their pelts brushing, and Sedgepaw wrinkled her nose at the thought of Mistpaw spending the day with Blackpaw. _The only thing he'll be training is his pick-up lines._

"This way," Batface urged. "We're wasting daylight."

Shaleheart stretched his legs, which were noticeably lighter gray than the rest of his body. A loud yawn escaped him. "Don't put too much pressure on them, Batface," he warned. "Apprentices should learn to enjoy their training."

Smiling, Sedgepaw nodded at her father in agreement. If only she had him as her mentor. He was always carefree and warmhearted, unlike the bossy, moody Batface. Her ears flattened when she heard Batface's retort.

"Nothing is enjoyable about training. It is meant to be diligent and challenging. Being a warrior is not a game."

When Sedgepaw noticed, Cloudpaw nodded in agreement she grumbled at her under her breath, "Don't encourage him."

Cloudpaw frowned but said no more as they approached the boundary of reeds and maidencane surrounding the camp. Batface pushed through first, looking like a shadow melting into the pale green and yellow stalks. Sedgepaw let Cloudpaw dive in after him, uneager to follow too close behind her mentor. He seemed grumpier than usual. Shaleheart hesitated before the reeds, which whistled invitingly at them to venture into their depths. He turned to Sedgepaw, smiling as he pressed his nose to her ear.

"Don't mind Batface," he murmured. "He means well."

"He has a rotten way of showing it," Sedgepaw replied resentfully.

"You will probably be his last apprentice. You're his legacy."

Sedgepaw's amber eyes became wide as the moon. "No pressure."

Shaleheart gave a chuckle, whisker twitching. "You'll make him proud, I know it. You'll make all of us proud."

Smiling, Sedgepaw tilted her head. "Even you?"

Shaleheart returned the smile. "Especially me."

Feeling rejuvenated, Sedgepaw went after Batface and Cloudpaw into the reeds. She could hear Shaleheart tail her, and together they snaked through the jungle of maidencane. It combed through her fur, stealing some fur on her way out. When she burst into the marshy grass that surrounded the camp, Batface and Cloudpaw were already running through the palmettos. Shaleheart rustled from the reeds to stand beside her, and Sedgepaw saw a twinkle in his eye.

"Let's catch up!"

Bursting into a sprint, Sedgepaw kicked up clods of mud in her wake. It splattered against her long pelt, and she became a darker shade of brown. Batface led the charge, his tail standing straight like a flag. Cloudpaw dashed through the palmettos effortlessly, and Sedgepaw struggled to keep pace with her friend. The thick muscles beneath her pelt felt heavy as they rippled, carrying her with endurance in mind rather than speed. Shaleheart brought up the rear purposefully, keeping a wary eye out for danger from behind. They skirted the pine forest that hugged the winding river, heading south where the cypress trees ruled alongside vast oaks and birches, which stood tall amongst the bog. The remnants of dawn's fog filtered through the varying trunks of foliage, carrying the pungent odor of prey and rich soil.

Batface halted before the massive swamp, gazing in silence. Sedgepaw struggled to catch her breath beside him, her ears perking with surprise when she heard him wheezing. The echo of Shaleheart's words rang in her will probably be his last apprentice. When he returned her stare, she offered him a small smile that he did not return. Sedgepaw ducked her head and sighed. If she truly was his legacy, he did not seem thrilled by the notion. Wrinkling her nose, she decided the feeling was mutual.

Shaleheart and Cloudpaw were beside each other, staring into the foggy swamp. Sedgepaw stole a glance at the two, listening to her father's fond words of wisdom. She could hear him educating her about the perils of navigating the swamp, and he broke off into a tangent about wrestling with a snapping turtle. Sedgepaw stared at her white paws, squishing her toes into the mud in a pout. She longed for a relationship like that with Batface, one where they could converse without descending into an argument.

"Otternose and Owleyes will join us soon," Batface mentioned as he approached the shadows of the swamp. "They'll bring the new apprentices to observe you two."

"You both are performing well in your training, so Kitestar thought it best for Lilypaw and Pebblepaw to see you in action."

Raising her chin, Sedgepaw felt her heart swell. This was her chance! She would show Batface how much she learned. With a gleam in her amber eyes, she darted forward. "Let's go then! No time to waste, right, Batface?" Her giddy laughter drowned out his protests as she overran his lead.

"Wait for me, mousebrain!" Cloudpaw called after her.

With her Clanmates' echoing voices behind her, Sedgepaw led the way to the Training Gully. Ivy tangled at her paws, hiding the forgotten fallen leaves that descended from the ancient oak tree branches. Cloudpaw's distant protests bounced off the dense oak trunks and rattled through the birches, but Sedgepaw was deaf to them. The ivy thickened at her paws and the potent aroma of the golden flowers that blossomed from it wafted in the humid air. However, there was another offensive scent that clashed with the bloom. A rank stench of rotting flesh ready to peel from bone was becoming more prominent with each step; Sedgepaw opened her mouth, wondering where the putrid odor could be coming from. Perhaps a coyote abandoned their kill?

No, it was not carrion that harbored this odor. Sedgepaw skidded to a halt, for before she was a skinny brown tomcat with swirling dark stripes and pale green eyes that seemed to glow. "Vinestripe!" Sedgepaw's exclamation was strangled with fear.

Vinestripe did not reply. Instead, he wordlessly stood amongst the carpet of vines and their bright flowers. His eyes seemed to stare through Sedgepaw, looking into the distance expressionlessly. His face was vacant, and he reeked of death. Sedgepaw gingerly stepped closer to him.

"You-you can't be here anymore," she warned. "You're Fallen." Sedgepaw knew what she had to do. It was her duty as a MarshClan cat to chase him off their land. He was no longer welcome here. Unsheathing her claws, she felt her stomach twist into knots like the vines at her paws. "You must go, now." She tried to sound firm, but her heart was racing. The memory of her nightmare was still fresh in her mind.

The Fallen tomcat was plagued by silence. His eyes were clouded over, foggy. Sedgepaw realized he was not even acknowledging her warning. She felt her face burn with embarrassment. He was not threatened by her at all! With bristling fur, she took another step closer, trying to suppress the impulse to gag at the rotten smell coming off of his wet fur… _Wait, wet fur?_ Sedgepaw blinked slowly. Vinestripe's pelt was dark, waterlogged, and she realized droplets of water slid off his whiskers. She pushed back the images of her nightmare. The sight of his body floating down a red river charred her brain of all rationality. Then, she gasped when she saw the scarlet grin on his neck, which shed rivulets of blood.

"You're hurt! Who did this?" Sedgepaw gasped. She turned her head, wary of her Clanmates finding her with a Fallen. Sedgepaw knew Vinestripe would have to leave before they came, or they would certainly give him more wounds to lick. "Listen," she growled. "You're already bleeding… badly. If I fight you, I'll kill you." Sedgepaw knew Vinestripe was a seasoned warrior, but he looked fatigued and weak. "Get out now, or I'll have no choice."

Vinestripe's wound gushed, and Sedgepaw took a step back in shock. The tomcat opened his mouth to gurgle an inaudible reply, before turning and running off into the woods. Sedgepaw was breathing heavily as the Fallen disappeared into the woods. Beads of red tainted the golden petals, leaving a trail of blood for her to follow. There was no way he could survive his injury. Sedgepaw was frozen, stuck with the choice to remain in the clearing or follow the wounded Fallen.

"Wait!" she hollered after him. Sedgepaw had to make sure he left their territory. It was her responsibility, after all. No, it was more than that. She had to make sure he was okay. How did he acquire such a morbid injury? Were the Raiders nearby? "Vinestripe!"

A glimpse of his tail was slithering around the broad trunk of a live oak allowed Sedgepaw to keep track of his escape. The dimples of his pawprints into the soft soil were coupled with droplets of blood. The climbing ivy that hugged the oak trees bore red-stained leaves, and the scent of death lingered. Sedgepaw felt the burn of panic in her veins, but she did not falter in her chase. She needed answers. Tearing through the tangles of undergrowth, she could feel her long fur snag against the branches. All she cared for, however, was locating the wounded tomcat.

"Vinestripe!" she called out to him again in vain. The only response was the distant cries of sandhill cranes.

Sedgepaw felt her legs burn as her pursuit led her uphill. She weaved through the knees of the cypress trees, which jutted from the soil like jagged teeth. At the crown of the slope, she caught a flicker of Vinestripe's tabby pelt venturing over the edge. Her amber eyes widened in fear at the thought of losing him. Unable to muster the breath to cry out to him, Sedgepaw's uneven gulps of breath were drowned out by the racket of a loud splash.

"No!" she screeched.

Sedgepaw burst onto the crest of the hill, which overlooked the river that ran its course through her territory. Its current was unforgiving against the stones that sat in its depths; fiercely, it splashed into rageful rapids that threatened to swallow anything unlucky enough to hit its surface. Sedgepaw's eyes glanced desperately across the rabid water, which frothed white in its fervent run. The ripple of Vinestripe's collapse vanished just before the rocks greeted the river. His body did not resurface.

"Vinestripe!" Sedgepaw yowled above the river's roar.

Bowing her head, she felt the pressure of her nightmare collapse on her shoulders. It replayed in her head over, and over, and over again. The shiver in her paws was minute, but it conveyed her inner feelings of helplessness. She could not save him in the trial, and she could not save him now. No wonder Batface hates me… I can't do anything right.

It was the feeling of being watched that pulled Sedgepaw out of the cloud of remorse that hovered over her. Jerking her head up, she noticed a cat on the other side of the riverbank. It was a cat she did not recognize with eyes so pale green they seemed unreal and a pelt of muddy brown. Sedgepaw narrowed her eyes, stepping towards the edge of the hill where it dropped into a sheer cliff, wanting a closer look at this strange cat. She could not pick up a scent that identified the onlooker, all she could taste was the sharpness of mint and freshwater. The cat blinked slowly up at her, but Sedgepaw could only focus on the mess of scars crisscrossing across their shoulders. This cat went through an awful fight but lived.

The cat spoke to her from across the river, but their voice failed to carry up over the rapids to her. Sedgepaw could only read their lips, which articulated the message flawlessly. "There are bodies in this water."


	5. Fall from Grace

Caught in the mayhem of war between dreams and reality, Sedgepaw struggled to comprehend her surroundings, specifically the cat below. The pale brown tabby with mangled shoulders and pastel green eyes returned Sedgepaw's stare, but their eyes were void of confusion. In fact, there was an eerie clarity to their gaze; it was as if they knew everything with a glance. Sedgepaw's skin crawled beneath her fur. She doubted her sanity now, for no earthly cat could perceive the world with such arcane eyes. Across the effervescent rapids that separated them, they continued to stare at Sedgepaw in silence, but the words they spoke continued to echo in her head: "There are bodies in this water."

Bodies, perhaps dozens if Sedgepaw's nightmare was a vision in disguise, littered the unforgiving depths of the river. She was beginning to suspect Vinestripe was among them. However, she came up blank when trying to put a face to the murders. Segdepaw inched towards the hill's edge, where it dropped into a cliff framed by roots that jutted out of its face, which stretched towards the misty surface of the river, thirsting for freshwater. A forewarning pebble took a dive from the hill's lip, plummeting towards the river that swallowed it without a qualm. Sedgepaw inched back then, heeding the pebbles sacrifice. She was desperate for answers, and she believed the mysterious cat below had them, but a descent from this point would mean her demise. Her plume-like tail lashed with frustration.

"Who are you?" she yowled from the hilltop.

There was no response, which prompted a hiss from her throat. The cat slowly backed away from the shore, their eyes not moving though they bowed their chin, as if bidding farewell. Sedgepaw physically reacted to their slow retreat, nearly scrambling over the hill's drop in her haste.

"No, wait!" she cried.

They vanished into the ferns, leaving Sedgepaw pacing at the edge, her white paws itching to give chase. Her amber eyes darted frantically about the shoreline, trying to pluck that light brown pelt from the masses of ferns and reeds to no avail.

"Sedgepaw!" It was Cloudpaw's voice that brought Sedgepaw back to reality; she called to her while ascending the hilltop, and when she appeared Sedgepaw thought she spotted a hint of worry on her face. Instead, the black and white apprentice was staring at her questioningly, and her aggravation was apparent when she spoke again. "You mousebrain, we were looking all over for you!"

Gazing at her friend, Sedgepaw knew her irritation masked her worry. She smiled and shrugged her broad shoulders in defeat. "Well, you found me." She hid her bewilderment with a wry grin. "Took you long enough too. You're definitely not a tracker, Cloudpaw."

"Very funny." Cloudpaw narrowed her eyes, and Sedgepaw knew she failed to evade her friend's intuition. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Oh, please, save that spiritual mumbo-jumbo for Redleaf." Sedgepaw laughed. However, she was beginning to surmise the possibility of witnessing a manifest spirit. The spirit of Vinestripe.

"Come on, you, Batface and Shaleheart are downhill waiting." Cloudpaw turned back towards the forest, flicking her long tail. "The new apprentices and their mentors are there too."

Sedgepaw groaned inwardly. After being in the wake of madness, she forgot all about her audience for the day's training. Between her long night and the unexpected appearance of Vinestripe and the cat across the river, she could feel her body's strength wane. The first time she was to test her skills before younger apprentices, and she was not even on top of her game! Sedgepaw gritted her teeth angrily. StarClan had a rotten sense of humor; it was as if her ancestors mapped out her embarrassment on purpose.

Following Cloudpaw down the hill, she returned to the ravine where the jutting knees of cypress trees ruled. The jagged, erect roots staggered throughout the mud, and in-between them were Batface, Shaleheart, Otternose, Owleyes, Lilypaw, and Pebblepaw. Sedgepaw gulped when she realized all their eyes were on her.

"I'm ready," she announced, keeping her chin high. Even with all the attention being honed in on her, Sedgepaw refused to cower. She would prove herself to them, Batface especially.

"I'd hope so," Batface retorted, "You've already wasted enough time with your little stroll." Spittle rained from his lips as he emphasized every word with unbridled annoyance.

Sedgepaw curled her lip, struggling to tame her desire to snap back at her disapproving mentor. "I was stretching my legs," she explained mildly.

Shaleheart had interrupted the argument before it started with his jovial tone. "Okay! Today, Cloudpaw and Sedgepaw will demonstrate their skills of agility, strength, and climbing capability."

Trying to sustain her satisfaction when Shaleheart stole Batface's opportunity to scold her, Sedgepaw gave her father a broad smile and nodded excitedly. "I got this!" she affirmed.

Cloudpaw snaked around to sit beside her, a challenge twinkling in her golden eyes. "So you say."

Batface spoke up again, his tongue reluctantly adopting a cordial tone. "We will begin with agility then. At the foot of the cypress, where the knees are not present, will be your starting point," he began, his short tail flicking sideways at the tall cypress nearby. "You both will race through the knees and roots of the trees to the best of your ability, finishing at the end where the oakbridge overpasses the ravine."

Sedgepaw glanced from one end to the other, feeling her belly churn uneasily. Agility was never effortless for her; she preferred to charge full-speed ahead, not swivel through obstacles with grace like some lanky heron. She wrinkled her nose and shuffled her paws grudgingly, feeling the excitement radiating off Cloudpaw. Her friend was noticeably slimmer than she was, with the long legs to boot. Defeating her would be a challenge.

Across from where she sat, Otternose and Owleyes were murmuring to each other. Sedgepaw wondered what they could be exchanging. She wondered if they doubted her. Unease caused her pelt to prickle, for the judgmental glare of Otternose was fixated on her now. Sedgepaw felt the burn of her ombre eyes and realized how Vinestripe must have felt. To think, only the night before she condemned their Clanmate. Now, Otternose seemed ready to condemn once more. Owleyes was stoic in contrast; he did not seem to regard Sedgepaw or Cloudpaw with any favor. Still, his soft murmurs coaxed self-consciousness out of Sedgepaw, which she struggled to smother.

Cloudpaw led the way towards the cypress that marked the start of their first test. Sedgepaw followed with determination coloring her face. She walked before Lilypaw and Pebblepaw with pride, carrying herself in a manner that allowed every muscle in her limbs to ripple. She wanted to intimidate the new apprentices and impress the mentors, refusing to let her insecurities swarm her mind.

Inhaling deeply, Sedgepaw gazed across the ravine. She stood beside Cloudpaw with tense muscles, her amber eyes gleaming with a storm of resolution and apprehension. Her heart was beating erratically. It felt like a woodpecker was stuck in her ribcage, hammering its beak against it in an attempt to be set free. Shaleheart and Batface joined the others on the flank of the ravine, where they could observe without getting trampled. Sedgepaw stole a glance at Cloudpaw before the race began, and she felt anger rise from her belly when she saw the smug look of confidence etching her narrow face. _She looks as if she thinks she already won!_

"Steady," Shaleheart called, preparing the apprentices for their go. Time moved at a snail's pace. "And… Start!"

Sedgepaw bolted off from the shadow of the cypress. She unsheathed her claws, wanting to grip the soft ground with more certainty. Clods of mud churned up from under her paws, scattering backward to splatter against her tail. She knew if she got a strong start, she might win. Quickly, the spikes of roots greeted her. Sedgepaw hissed, skidding to the side to avoid colliding with one head-on. Her evasive maneuver was unpolished, and her broad shoulder kissed the knee painfully. Wincing, Sedgepaw spotted the flash of black-and-white fur coasting through the teeth-like growths with ease. _No! She's going to get ahead of me!_ Sedgepaw scrambled onward, dodging through the knees madly, her shoulders and hindquarters taking a beating in the process.

"Dammit," she growled. Sedgepaw could feel her claws burn. With every erratic step, she threatened to tear them.

Ahead, Cloudpaw slithered through the spiked roots with a gait so fluid streams would be jealous. Sedgepaw gritted her teeth and charged forward faster, longing to catch up. The tendons in her limbs screamed in protest. The knees became more numerous as Sedgepaw carried on, to her dismay. Slipping awkwardly sideways, she struggled to avoid a protruding root that appeared unexpectedly. Her totter was not over, for she had to jump abruptly to avoid a shorter knee in her path. Nearly stumbling, Sedgepaw dove between two more knees with wide eyes. It was like they became teeth that hungered to impale her in her stampede. Not keen on being skewered, Sedgepaw slowed her pace and snaked between the knees with more ease. She sacrificed her speed grudgingly, but finished with a fraction of grace. Sedgepaw already knew she lost, but at least she completed the test.

The oakbridge welcomed her with shade, and Sedgepaw collapsed into it. Her eyes screwed up to see Cloudpaw sitting patiently, grooming her long forearm with practiced pride.

"Looks like I win this one," she observed nonchalantly.

Sedgepaw knew she was riveted by her victory, and she would have preferred Cloudpaw act so. Feigning modesty was somehow more frustrating to Sedgepaw than gloating.

Cloudpaw made a huffing noise. "Don't act so melancholy. You and I both know agility is my thing." Her black tail-tip brushed against Sedgepaw's nose. "You can't win everything."

"Easy for you to say," Sedgepaw snapped, still struggling to catch her breath. "You're the winner."

Cloudpaw rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, their mentors approached. Shaleheart was beaming, of course, and he looked ready to parade his apprentice with praise. Sedgepaw sat up slowly, not surprised by the look of disappointment on her mentor's face. Shadowing them were Otternose and Owleyes, and they both were murmuring between each other again. Bringing up the rear were the young apprentices, and Sedgepaw noticed Lilypaw was looking more enthusiastic than ever.

"That was incredible!" Her mew exploded from her mouth, causing Pebblepaw to jump beside her. She danced up to Cloudpaw on her dainty white toes. "You're so fast, like, like nothing I've ever seen before. I'm going to be just like you!"

Cloudpaw nodded, unappreciative of Lilypaw's excitement. Her ears were flat, just like her expression. "Everyone has their own skills. Our skills are what make us unique."

Lilypaw was undeterred by Cloudpaw's deadpan tone. "Well, I hope I'm not skilled in falling like Sedgepaw. Then they may call me Lilyfall!" She snickered, clearly impressed by her own joke.

Sedgepaw curled her lip and cuffed the apprentice's ear with her paw. "How about Lilythorn, then?" she hissed. "You sure are skilled at being an annoying thorn in my side."

Lilypaw made a grumble of protest, backing away from them with a look of disdain, and Pebblepaw crawled behind her. His big blue eyes gazed up at Sedgepaw fearfully, and she smirked. With a lunge, she pretended to pounce on them, only to land a whisker's length away from them to give a roar. Sedgepaw gave a snort when both apprentices ran to their mentors' sides. _That's what I thought._ Ignoring Otternose's glare, Sedgepaw faced Batface and Shaleheart, awaiting their instruction.

Cloudpaw nudged her side. "Nice job terrorizing the pests," she whispered with a smirk.

"I'll be terrorizing you next," Sedgepaw promised, returning the smirk.

Batface cleared his throat, an indication that his patience was waning. Sedgepaw fell silent, allowing her mentor to speak while avoiding his bright amber glare. She longed for him to look at her the same way Shaleheart looked at Cloudpaw. Her father still appeared riveted by his apprentice's victory, for his yellow eyes beamed brighter than the sun.

"Next, a test of strength," Batface announced. He glanced between Cloudpaw and Sedgepaw with scrutiny. "The apprentices will duel one another in a mock fight, and the winner is the one that can pin the other down."

"Keep your claws sheathed!" Shaleheart warned, and Sedgepaw shrugged when he fixed her with a pointed stare. "And do not break the other's skin, or the duel is over."

Sedgepaw entered the shadow of the oakbridge, which passed over the ravine to connect with the hill that stood before the river. It had fallen long ago, reduced to nothing but a log that allowed the cats to cross without having to scale the hills. Now, it shaded the battlefield. Squaring her shoulders, she sized up Cloudpaw as she took her place across from Sedgepaw.

Her opponent was lean with a build that promised speed and agility. The sharpness in Cloudpaw's yellow eyes made Sedgepaw wary, for she knew her friend was equipped with intelligence as well. Rolling her shoulders, she tensed her muscles in preparation. Cloudpaw's long tail lashed fiercely, but she did not speak. She was standing before Sedgepaw with a cold look of concentration on her narrow face.

Sedgepaw's amber eyes gleamed. She wanted to get a rise out of Cloudpaw. "I'm not going to take it easy on you!" she warned.

Her opponent merely shook her head in response, which prompted Sedgepaw to growl. Cloudpaw did not seem the least bit intimidated by her. Her friend's silent self-assuredness only fueled Sedgepaw's will to win.

"And begin!" Shaleheart ordered.

To Sedgepaw's surprise, Cloudpaw made the first move. In a flash, the apprentice disappeared, darting to Sedgepaw's side with enough speed to rival a lightning bolt. Cloudpaw struck her shoulder with the same quick motion, bringing her paw down with enough force to sting. Sedgepaw winced but was able to react in defense before Cloudpaw went for another swipe at her head. Ducking, she heard with the whistle of Cloudpaw's blow narrowly miss her ear, and Sedgepaw snarled when she headbutted her opponent in the chest.

Fallen leaves rose again when Cloudpaw was bowled over onto the ground. Sedgepaw did not allow her time to recuperate. She lunged, forearms extended, and prepared to pin her down. Cloudpaw was too keen, however, and rolled so that Sedgepaw smashed her paws down on the ground where her shoulders used to be. Then she felt the sting of Cloudpaw's rear paws kicking at her side, rattling against her ribs. Batface's words echoed in her mind. You're still a thoughtless, impulsive opponent.

Sedgepaw sprung backward, recalculating her next move. Cloudpaw got to her paws again, and the two apprentices became locked in a circling motion. Each watched the other pensively, evaluating their opponent and predicting their next attack. Cloudpaw was smart; Sedgepaw realized she would have to be smarter if she was to win. She could not withstand the idea of losing again. Though her mind was foggy with fatigue and the gore of Vinestripe's appearance haunted her, Sedgepaw could still feel the fire of determination searing her veins. She was going to win this time.

With a hiss, Cloudpaw maneuvered towards Sedgepaw. She snaked towards her in a swerving motion, which made her position hard to pinpoint. However, Sedgepaw noticed Cloudpaw's eyes flicker briefly to her legs, and she jumped before the apprentice could slither beneath her. Landing behind Cloudpaw, Sedgepaw spun and clobbered the back of her head with her massive white paw. She could hear Cloudpaw's grunt, and Sedgepaw assumed the apprentice was stunned. Growling, she pounced on Cloudpaw's back, knowing her weight would pan out favorably against the slimmer she-cat, and began to rake her hind paws against Cloudpaw's hindquarters.

Feeling Cloudpaw struggle, Sedgepaw clung to her shoulders as best as she could with sheathed claws. Suddenly, Cloudpaw writhed, arching her narrow back to slip from Sedgepaw's white toes. Cloudpaw, once freed, spun around to swipe at Sedgepaw's muzzle. She snapped her neck back to jerk away from the strike, and she felt Cloudpaw graze her whiskers. However, she failed to dodge the next blow and felt the smack of her paw against her face. If Cloudpaw unsheathed her claws, Sedgepaw knew the wound would have cut deep. Giving a hiss, she reared up on her hind legs and crashed down towards Cloudpaw, knocking her across the shaded clearing. Mud stained her black and white fur, and Sedgepaw noticed the burning ferocity in her friend's eyes. She was not surrendering easy, and Sedgepaw began to worry she would not have the energy to endure the battle much longer.

Stealing a glance at her mentor, she saw a peculiar gleam in Batface's orange eyes. Struggling to decipher his expression, she almost lost her opportunity to react to Cloudpaw's offensive move. The apprentice faked her out, for her eyes were locked on the side of Sedgepaw, but she landed her blow on the opposite side. Falling victim to Cloudpaw's cleverness, Sedgepaw felt her opponent's paw rake down her side. Baring her fangs, Sedgepaw knew she would have to react before Cloudpaw gained the advantage. She could not afford another loss. With Cloudpaw circling to attack again, Sedgepaw decided the best option for victory was to cripple Cloudpaw's boon: her swiftness. Once more, Cloudpaw surged forward with viper-like reflexes, but this time, Sedgepaw was ready. She invested too much energy on using her strength alone; now her attack would have a purpose. In a sweeping motion, Sedgepaw lowered her body and lunged forth, her large paw did not aim for Cloudpaw's face or chest or shoulders, the typical targets, this time, she struck at Cloudpaw's willowy limbs.

Angry shrieking from Cloudpaw startled the nearby crows, and there was a muffled clapping noise when Sedgepaw's strike collided with her legs. Swept off her feet, Cloudpaw hit the ground chin-first with a loud thud. Then, Sedgepaw wasted no time in pinning her there. Cloudpaw gave a grunt, but with her legs twisted beneath her, she could not escape.

"That's it!" Batface shouted. He stood and approached the dueling apprentices with a stern expression. "The spar is over. Sedgepaw's the winner."

Sedgepaw raised her chin and smiled at her mentor. To her delight, Batface cracked a small grin. It did not look forced, and it was not overtly obvious, but it was enough for Sedgepaw. She won, she made him smile. "Fantastic!" she crowed.

Cloudpaw gave a hiss. "Okay, you've won. You can get off me now."

Sedgepaw ducked her head apologetically. "Oh, sorry, Cloudpaw." She released her friend from her grip, smiling still. "I was just caught up in my victory!"

"Of course." Cloudpaw rose to her legs shakily, rolling her eyes. She shivered off the leaves and mud that collected on her pelt during the fight. "But it's not over yet."

Shaleheart approached to shoulder Batface. "Well done both of you!" His yellow eyes gleamed, and Sedgepaw nearly laughed at the starkly different reaction he had compared to Batface. "You performed spectacularly in your own way. You both will make fine warriors one day."

Batface gave a small nod then but said nothing more. However, Sedgepaw still felt his gaze on her, and she felt her heart swell.

Lilypaw and Pebblepaw bounded up to them with their mentors. Lilypaw looked fascinated, while Pebblepaw appeared scared out of his wits. The dappled gray apprentice blinked his big blue eyes slowly. "Will… We all have to fight like that one day?" he asked in a trembling whisper.

Otternose replied with assurance. "All of us will fight one day. Our territory is full of danger."

Sedgepaw detected the faint scent of fear was rolling off Pebblepaw. Her amber eyes softened as she looked at him, but she refused to offer consolation for Otternose's foreboding reply. It was true, after all. MarshClan was surrounded by enemies, and so she trained with the will to fight them all one day.

Otternose continued, glaring at her apprentice with scrutiny. "There are beasts in the water, woods, and sky, Pebblepaw," she explained impatiently. "They prey on the weak, so MarshClan trains you to be strong."

Nodding, Sedgepaw could put names to every beast in the water and wood and sky that would do harm to a MarshClan cat. The water concealed alligators and pythons, and the woods harbored foxes and coyotes, and the sky was ruled by fierce hawks.

When Owleyes interjected, Sedgepaw was surprised by the calmness in his voice. "There is safety in the Clan, however. So long as you provide for the Clan, it will protect you."

Pebblepaw nodded slowly, but he did not look convinced. His little tail curled around his paws, hiding the slight tremor in his toes. "MarshClan has many enemies," he realized.

Otternose snorted, shaking her head. "Even our own kind can be our enemy." With graveness in her tone, she explained, "There are others like us that choose not to live by Clan ideals. They're called Raiders, for they pillage our territory of prey, and if we do not learn to fight, they can easily infiltrate our camp and raid us of our kits and herbs."

Pebblepaw's eyes widened. "Raiders? I've-I've never seen one."

"They have been quiet for moons now," Batface added, his gravelly voice just above a whisper. "We do not know why, but Kitestar fears they may be brooding their next move."

Sedgepaw exchanged a glance with Cloudpaw and nodded. They were both ready to fight off any Raider that stepped foot on their land, and Sedgepaw felt proud to live in MarshClan. Raiders were not favored by StarClan as she was, they were thieves and barbarians. They were no better than Fallen. Sedgepaw could not liken a fierce Raider to someone like Vinestripe. Her gentle, composed Clanmate would never stoop to stealing or raiding nurseries like a Raider would. However, in MarshClan's eyes, they were the same.

"What about Fallen?" Lilypaw asked, voicing Sedgepaw's uncertainty.

Otternose was the one to speak up after a brief silence followed Lilypaw's question. "Fallen rarely ever intrude on us once they are exiled." She smiled, seemingly delighted by this fact. "Once they are gone, they are gone for good. It's like they never existed." A twittering laugh escaped her. "They are probably too ashamed to show their faces around here."

The silence that followed was uncomfortable for Sedgepaw. She glanced around at the faces of their Clanmates, seeing resignation on each of them. Bowing her head, she struggled to stomach the fate of the Fallen once more. She wondered if the real reason they never appeared after their exile was because they were slain.

Shaleheart did not allow them to dwell on the Fallen for too long, for he piped up to break the silence. "How about we continue training?" he suggested, sounding chipper as usual.

Cloudpaw nodded. "Climbing is next, right?"

Batface meowed,"Yes, and you will be scaling that cypress tree with Sedgepaw." He inclined his head towards the cypress they had run from before. Now, they would be tasked with climbing the titanic trunk "The apprentice that reaches the highest branch is the victor."

"Don't climb too high, though!" Shaleheart added. "You don't need to touch the sky." Chuckling at his own joke, he led the way towards the overbearing cypress.

Weaving through the knees with the group of MarshClan cats, Sedgepaw stared at the soft ground. She could feel her limbs grow heavy with fatigue. Though the freckles of sunlight that dappled the training ravine made an effort to warm her fur, she felt cold and worn. This last challenge would bring an end to her day, at least. Sedgepaw raised her chin and decided she could power through this next task seamlessly. All she would need is confidence and an insane amount of luck.

"You're not tired, are you?" Lilypaw chirped from behind. There was a taunting edge to her tone.

Sedgepaw glanced back and scoffed, "Of course not!" She felt like the new apprentice was purposefully crawling under her fur to rub her skin the wrong way. "A warrior never quits."

Batface chimed in. "Actually, a real warrior knows their limits." Though he was firm, his chiding had a lighter tone to it. He walked before them with Owleyes by his side, but the other warrior remained silent. "Warriors must learn to rely on one another. Our strength alone is not enough; we need to depend on one another to survive."

The idea of depending on someone else made Sedgepaw wrinkle her nose. She was the strongest of her littermates, the strongest of the all the apprentices, so her strength alone could help her in any battle. She narrowed her eyes at Batface and smiled. "Anyone can win a fight if they have help, but I can win my fights alone."

There was a glimmer of something in Batface's eyes. Was it disappointment? Anger? His only response was a sigh, which ended with him turning away. He did not speak again after that.

Lilypaw, however, failed to shut her mouth. "All this talk about fighting! Is that all you're good at?" She sniffed proudly. "One day, I will be good at everything! Claytooth said so."

"Of course, he did," Sedgepaw muttered. Claytooth believed his kits could surpass anyone; his conviction was obvious since Shellpelt gave birth to them. Sedgepaw recalled the deputy constantly looming about the nursery, murmuring words of praise to his kits. Sedgepaw could barely get any rest with Claytooth's presence as a kit; his demeanor demanded full attention, much like his daughter. Sedgepaw glared at the uppity apprentice that kept pace by her side. "You're pretty good at being a nuisance."

Lilypaw returned her glare. "You're just worried that I'll be better than you!" she retorted, sounding indignant.

Giving a laugh, Sedgepaw shook her head. "Pipe down, rookie. You've got a long ways to go before you're even close to being better than me."

"Enough squabbling," Owleyes murmured. He lashed his feathery tail with practiced containment of his annoyance. "Instead of competing to be the best, you should be learning from one another."

"Then why even have these challenges in the first place?" Sedgepaw rebuked. "Aren't they a competition to see which of us is best?"

Owleyes merely shook his head and continued in silence. Ahead, she could see Shaleheart's ears twitching. Sedgepaw gritted her teeth, hoping she did not embarrass her father by snapping at a seasoned warrior like Owleyes. Jerking her head away from Lilypaw's glare, she noticed Cloudpaw carrying on with Pebblepaw peacefully. Judging by the twinkle in Pebblepaw's blue eyes, Sedgepaw assumed her friend must have been encouraging the meek apprentice. Otternose, walking a pace before them, did not seem too pleased by Cloudpaw's words, however, for her tail was lashing and her ears were flat. Sedgepaw wondered why Otternose even had an apprentice; the warrior always acted like she had a furball stuck in her throat, she probably would regurgitate it on her poor apprentice if given the chance.

"Okay!" Shaleheart chirped. "Let's get our last challenge done, then!"

Cloudpaw bounded up to him first, and Sedgepaw approached afterward. She could feel her legs groaning when she tilted her head back to peer up at the canopy of the cypress. The tree was so tall, and she nearly fell backward trying to look up at it. Reigning in her worry, Sedgepaw rolled her shoulders in preparation.

Suddenly, she could feel Batface's stout muzzle against her ear. Sedgepaw stiffened, eyes wide, as he whispered, "Take it easy during this test. I can tell your strength is waning."

Feeling her fur bristle, Sedgepaw struggled to sustain her retort. Batface doubted her! Her amber eyes flashed with determination. She would show him… Cloudpaw would lose to her again. She would climb this tree until she reached the clouds. Shrugging away from him, Sedgepaw placed her paw on the outstretched root of the cypress, breathing in deeply.

Cloudpaw stood beside her, gazing upwards. "I wonder how high these branches reach?" she mused.

"I'm going to find out," Sedgepaw smiled with confidence, knowing it will take every ounce of energy left in her to scale this massive trunk.

"Good luck, then," Cloudpaw smiled, wiggling her haunches as she readied to spring.

"Begin!" Shaleheart cried.

Cloudpaw beat Sedgepaw in her leap, and she was showered with flakes of tree bark as her friend scrambled upwards. Sedgepaw jumped after her onto the tree's trunk, her shoulders burning as her body already struggled to endure the steep incline. Releasing a shaky sigh, she gripped her unsheathed claws into the ancient bark, scaling it slowly. Shreds of cypress fell in spirals as she climbed, and Sedgepaw refused to watch their descent for fear of following suit. She could see Cloudpaw's long legs scaling up the tree slowly and grunted as she struggled to catch up. The distance between her and the ground broadened with every reach, but Sedgepaw was nowhere near the first branch. Swaying moss draped down from the first branches of the old cypress tree, waving at Sedgepaw during her ascent.

"Careful, Cloudpaw!" Pebblepaw squeaked from below.

Sedgepaw noticed her friend was shivering against the tree, and she saw the yellow gleam of Cloudpaw's eyes as she stared below. Cloudpaw looked frightened as she fixated her gaze on the roots at the foot of the tree. Sedgepaw took a break from her competitive climb, for Cloudpaw was frozen against the tree, clinging to it tighter than the green moss that cushioned the bark. Sedgepaw ignored the burning in her legs as she stared across at Cloudpaw, panting softly as she reached her.

"Cloudpaw, come on, we're almost done." Sedgepaw brushed her thick tail against Cloudpaw's, which was trembling. "Let's just get to the first branch and head down."

Cloudpaw nodded slowly, wordlessly, and resumed her climb. Sedgepaw smiled and joined her. They climbed side-by-side, and Sedgepaw realized this was what Batface and Owleyes meant; the comradery of helping one another and overcoming a challenge together with her Clanmate made the obstacles less intimidating. Once the two apprentices reached the lanky arms of the cypress, Sedgepaw giggled when Cloudpaw hustled onto the branch with wide eyes. She stood at the broad base of it, where the moss collected to dangle, and wrapped her black tail around her shivering paws.

"You did it!" Sedgepaw cheered, still clinging to the tree trunk.

"I did… I made it," Cloudpaw muttered in disbelief. "Thank you, Sedgepaw."

Smiling, Sedgepaw nodded to her friend. However, instead of joining her on the first branch, she continued her ascent. She could hear Cloudpaw's gasp of surprise when Sedgepaw resumed her climb. The number of outstretched branches grew as she rose, shading Sedgepaw from the sun as she neared the sky.

"Sedgepaw, wait! That's too high! You're going to high!" Cloudpaw yowled after her.

"Don't worry about me, Cloudpaw! I'm not scared." Sedgepaw was reenergized by seeing her friend overcome her fear, and she was able to abandon her fears as well. Her body was tired, but her determination did not dwindle. Instead of petering out at the first branch, Sedgepaw decided to could go on and on until she reached the clouds. "Go ahead down!" she called to Cloudpaw. "Tell Batface I'll be the one to touch the sky!"

"Sedgepaw, no!" Cloudpaw protested.

Sedgepaw ignored the cries of her friend, which were followed by the protests of her Clanmates. They all stared up at her in disbelief and admiration, but Sedgepaw did not stop to bask in their stares, she pulled herself upward. She could feel the ripple of her muscles as they worked and the thunderous beat of her heart as the breeze whistling through the treetops caught her long, mottled brown fur. Sedgepaw's tail ruffled in the wind with the moss, and her claws snagged a narrow branch. She was high enough to be surrounded by the thinnest, newest branches that grew out of the towering cypress. When she climbed onto the highest branch, Sedgepaw was rewarded with a view of MarshClan's territory. The swamp and pine forest neighbored each other, and the silhouettes of flying snowy egrets mirrored the fluffy white clouds that floated across the pale blue sky. She gasped in awe when she saw the lake where camp was located, for the sun was captured in its center, glittering in the rippling reflection.

"The view is amazing up here!" she told them.

The only response was from Batface, but the howling wind that rummaged through the treetops drowned out his words. Sedgepaw sighed, feeling the wind in her fur. Her eyes grazed the skyline, and she drank in the sight of the river winding through the pine forest. It ventured beyond the horizon, where the sun rose, and Sedgepaw wondered what roamed beyond the river boundary. It was there where the Fallen supposedly lived in permanent exile, ostracized from MarshClan's territory. She could see the pine forest thin out into rolling green hills spotted with large oak trees and birch trees, and she could not help but imagine the many cats living out there, forgotten. Perhaps the strange cat from before was among them?

Another yowl from Batface prompted Sedgepaw to gaze down from the branch she rested on. With a sigh, she realized she could not remain on her perch forever. It was time to return to her Clanmates. Her white toes kneaded the tree bark as she warmed up for her descent. However, movement in her periphery caught her attention. Below, on the riverbank, the ferns were rustling. Sedgepaw turned her head to decipher what could be making such a ruckus. Suddenly, a cat emerged from the reeds on her side of the river. It was the same pale brown tabby from before, but this time, they were on MarshClan territory. Sedgepaw stiffened, for those bright green eyes were locked onto her once more. _Trespasser!_

"You-!" Sedgepaw cried out to the cat, but a tremor from the branch strangled her words. The thin arm did not tolerate her jerking reaction to the intruder well, and the entire branch shifted with a groan. The droopy leaves of the cypress hissed menacingly, and Sedgepaw clung to the branch for dear life. "StarClan, help me!"

The cat watched her struggle, silently staring as she yowled in terror. Sedgepaw had glanced at the mysterious tabby before the branch gave way. The last image in her head was the cryptic tabby's face, with the penetrating, pale green eyes, before she was greeted with pain and darkness.


	6. In the Dark

Muffled murmurs caused Sedgepaw to stir. As she rustled, she could feel a sharp pang against her side, which resulted in her bolting upward in surprise. Her rapid movement only caused the pain to become more severe in her side, and she let out a sharp gasp as it gripped her lungs and restricted her breathing to pained gulps. The dark den around her was blurry, and her amber eyes darted around in dazed panic. _Where am I? What happened?_

"Easy does it, Sedgepaw," a deep voice rasped beside her. The sharp scent of herbs and marigold wafted around her, and Sedgepaw recognized the voice to be Redleaf's. She was in the medicine den, his den.

Glancing to her side, she slowly focused on his stocky frame. She was familiar with his deep, golden eyes and thick, dark ginger fur, and his look of concern made her stiffen. _Why am I here?_ She felt short of breath, for every inhale stabbed into her chest in an attempt to impale her weak lungs. Sedgepaw struggled not to panic as she felt a dull ache in her head grow more apparent while her vision sluggishly cleared. She tried to stand, wanting to get some answers fervently, but Redleaf's big paw pressed softly against her shoulder. His golden eyes glowed with sympathy, and Sedgepaw's stomach lurched. _Why is he looking at me like that?_

"You need to settle down," Redleaf advised. "You're still recovering."

"Recovering from what?" she rasped, breathing shakily.

Redleaf smiled ruefully as Sedgepaw settled back into her mossy nest. "You took a nasty fall from the Great Cypress. You've been unconscious for almost a day now." His explanation did not comfort her in the slightest; in fact, Sedgepaw was more alarmed because she could not remember a damn thing. "You'll recover without difficulty," Redleaf promised, "but you need to relax."

Sedgepaw's eyes darted around the medicine den nervously. The strong aroma of marigold surrounded her, sickly sweet, meant to mask the stench of blood and sickness from the patients of the past. The bur marigold stems hugged one another, creating a fortress of green stalks and yellow blossoms. Above, the den was sheltered by a thick roof of soft-stem bulrush; they overhung from within the marigold, shading the den and reinforcing the sweetness in the air with a full collection of orange flowers at their tips. Sedgepaw curled her white toes anxiously. She found no solace in the flowery walls and friendly face of Redleaf..

Redleaf must have sensed her apprehension, for he caressed her rigid spine with his short, fluffy tail. "Calm down, Sedgepaw," he soothed.

"I-I don't remember what happened." Her mind was blank.

"That's common for an injury like yours." Redleaf stood and walked slowly towards an old leaf sheath that a palm tree must have shed moons ago; it was forked like a rattlesnake's tongue, and the russet edges of it were frayed into thin hairs. The thick, wooden peticle cradled various piles of herbs that Sedgepaw did not recognize. "You could have been much worse off, but your fall only caused bruised ribs and a concussion."

"That sounds pretty dangerous to me." Sedgepaw did not even know what a concussion was, let alone what it meant, or how long it would take to heal. The buzz of questions in her head made it pound, and she flattened her ears as she struggled to withstand the pain.

Redleaf nodded, dexterously pawing through the collection of herbs that rested on the old leaf base. His eyes were pensive and narrow as he studied each medicinal plant intensely. "Not to worry, Sedgepaw. I'll have you on your paws in a few days."

"Days?!" Sedgepaw exclaimed, ignoring the pain in her side when she shouted. "I can't! I will be set back in my training."

"You'll do whatever it takes to recover." Batface's voice sounded outside the den, where the sunlight was oddly dim, and fog stalked the entrance.

Redleaf's ears perked when he heard Batface's response, and an amused smile crossed his face. "Are you still pacing out there?"

Sedgepaw narrowed her eyes, unable to see her mentor's dusky black pelt within the fog outside. _He was pacing?_ Sedgepaw wondered if her mentor was pacing with worry or frustration. The latter seemed most likely. She ducked her head sadly. He was probably disappointed in her for losing training time in recovery. Falling sounded like a silly way to hurt herself; Batface must have been livid with her stupidity.

Her mentor hesitated before replying again. "N-no, of course not! I don't have time to waste loitering outside your den; I was merely stopping by to check on my apprentice," he explained in a rush.

Sedgepaw smiled at his frazzled tone; he was probably spitting in his haste to explain himself. Even if he was upset with her, she found comfort in his voice. When he appeared, Sedgepaw's eyes widened. He seemed tired and on edge, with droopy-looking orange eyes and an ungroomed pelt. The senior warrior glanced at her, and Sedgepaw thought she saw a glimmer of relief in his expression. He turned towards Redleaf before she could decide whether or not she imagined it.

Redleaf did not sound convinced. "Sure, sure, that would make the most sense." He was smiling as he organized his herbs, and he did not flinch when Batface stalked towards him with a grumble. "Temper yourself, Batface," Redleaf warned warmly. "You'll disturb your precious apprentice's recovery."

Sedgepaw noticed Batface's stocky shoulders stiffen. She doubted she was his "precious apprentice," but the idea made her giggle. When she laughed, her mentor turned to her with a stern look on his broad face. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Sedgepaw squeaked, trying to hold back another laugh when Redleaf chuckled too.

"Can't a mentor check on his apprentice without being harassed?" Batface protested.

Redleaf chuckled again; it was deep and hearty, and it reminded Sedgepaw of when she would hear Batface laugh. It only happened once a moon, but when Batface laughed it sounded the same way. Tilting her head, she glanced between the two toms and realized they resembled one another; both had a broad face and thick fur with a stout and stocky frame. Sedgepaw wondered if they were kin. The stark difference in their expressions left her unconvinced. Redleaf did not have the permanent scowl like Batface.

Redleaf pressed his nose to Batface's scarred cheek and smiled. "She's just as healthy as she was when you checked on her last," he assured the frazzled warrior.

Perking her ears, Sedgepaw wondered when Batface last saw her. How frequently did he visit while she was unconscious? Her amber eyes grew wide with the notion that her mentor may not be angry with her at all but honestly worried. She felt warmth blossom in her chest at the possibility.

"Well, she wasn't awake when I saw her last," Batface countered. "So I venture to say she's healthier."

"I feel fine!" Sedgepaw agreed, though the den around her blurred when she stood. "I should be able to go out and train now. Thanks for your help, Redleaf." As she took a step out of her mossy nest, however, the world around her seemed to shift and slant; her confused, unsteady paws betrayed her mid-step, and she stumbled like a newborn fawn.

"You aren't going anywhere." Batface was by her side in a heartbeat, helping her to her paws with a nudge. The rasp in his voice was smoother as he let her balance on his side. "Once you are fully recovered, we can train as normal."

Sedgepaw rolled into her nest with a grumble. She rested her chin on her paws and drew out a sigh, accepting the reality of her imprisonment. As her mentor said, she would not be able to leave for training without a complete recovery. _Days… Days wasted._ Sedgepaw wanted to screech her frustration to StarClan, but the tightness in her lungs kept her silent.

Redleaf hovered over her, rasping his tongue across her ear reassuringly. "We are only doing what's best for you, Sedgepaw," he reasoned.

The sight of Batface moving to leave the den made her heart sink. "Listen to Redleaf," Batface added scoldingly. "What he lacks in guts he makes up for in knowledge." A chuckle resonated from his chest as he left, entering the fog that lingered outside, disappearing.

"He's a piece of work…" Redleaf muttered, and Sedgepaw nodded fondly. She still felt warmth in her heart for the rare gesture of kindness Batface displayed. "You know, he thinks very highly of you."

"Did he tell you that?" Sedgepaw asked, astonished.

Redleaf gave a hearty laugh in response and shook his head. There was a faint gleam of remorse in his eyes when he spoke, but his tone was thoughtful. "He does not tell me anything… But I know when my brother cares. He was up all night when you were unconscious, though Claytooth assigned him to lead the dawn patrol… I was not surprised when he came straight back to check on you afterward."

Sedgepaw blinked slowly, wondering how hard she must have hit her head. Batface never seemed to show an inkling of concern for her wellbeing until now. All he seemed to talk about was her shortcomings during their training sessions. However, Redleaf spoke with such certainty; she decided he had to be speaking the truth.

"Don't tell him I said that," Redleaf added. Giving her another smile, he walked from her side towards the other end of the den, where his herbs sat. In silence, he began sorting again, leaving Sedgepaw to lay alone.

Fatigue caused her eyelids to droop with the weight of longing she had for sleep. However, she could not settle in the comfort of her moss bedding. She ached for sleep to rush her healing, but her mind warned her of what darkness lingered in her dreams. The last time Sedgepaw willingly slept, her dreams were haunted by visions of dead cats and a bloody river. Shivering, Sedgepaw curled up in her nest and prayed to StarClan for a seamless sleep.

Hope for rest was shattered when Mothfur barged in like a startled doe. Her long, golden fur was bristling, and her face was the epitome of concern when she regarded Sedgepaw with her amber gaze. Mothfur rushed her with licks and nuzzled, and Sedgepaw could only squeal and squirm in protest. Her mother's scent was comforting, but her forceful affection made her chest pound in protest.

"You're awake!" Mothfur purred. "Oh, you're awake!"

"Of-of course!" Sedgepaw replied, grunting as her mother's licks raked feverishly against the top of her sore head. When she finished, Sedgepaw was sure her fur was sticking up like a quail's plume. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Redleaf approached her in an instant, gently brushing Mothfur off his patient with a sigh. "Mothfur, she is still recovering. Please, give her space."

"You fell from the top of the Great Cypress, Sedgepaw!" Mothfur exclaimed in panicked frustration. "Do you not remember? I mean, how mousebrained can you be?! Climbing to the top of the Great Cypress like that...You could have died!"

Though Redleaf tried his best to maintain a barrier between Sedgepaw and her erratic mother, it felt like her distressed meows were sounding right into her ear canal. Squeezing her eyes shut, Sedgepaw tried to drown out her anxious rambles, which seemed to travel through her ears straight to her head, where they pounded against her skull like a hatchling trying to break from its fragile eggshell. Redleaf's murmurs of consolation failed to qualm Mothfur, and she only seemed to grow more irritated as time passed. Sedgepaw tried to piece together what she was saying. She fell from the top of the Great Cypress? The thought was absurd. No one ever climbed that high. However, an image of a bird's-eye view of the territory flashed in her mind, and Sedgepaw began to believe there was truth to Mothfur's words.

"Mothfur, I implore you, lower your voice," Redleaf continued to try and calm her down. "Sedgepaw needs peace if she is to heal properly."

Opening her eyes slowly, Sedgepaw heard her mother give a shaky sigh and grow silent. As if regaining her composure, she spoke with the utmost solemnity. "How is she coming along, then?"

Sedgepaw saw a smile of relief cross Redleaf's broad face. "Very well, actually. She should be back out and training in a few days."

"Good…" Mothfur wrapped her plume-like, golden tail around her paws as she took a seat. Her amber eyes were downcast, and her face did not convey the slightest hint of satisfaction at Redleaf's words. Sedgepaw felt her chest tighten. She felt as if she harmed her mother more than herself in the incident. Never before had she seen her mother more worried than now. "What is ailing her?"

"She has a concussion and bruised ribs," Redleaf replied somewhat robotically as if he had recited that same explanation several times already.

Sedgepaw was still confused as to why unseen injuries harmed her more than superficial ones. Scars, which were exposed to the elements, seemed more severe than some bruising… Scars… Another image of a pale brown tabby with mangled shoulders flashed through her mind's eye. _That's right!_ Sedgepaw bolted upward abruptly, causing Redleaf and Mothfur to react physically by leaping to her side.

"Sedgepaw? What is it?" Redleaf prompted.

"Are you in pain?" Mothfur pressed.

"I remember… a cat," she began. "When I was at the top of the Great Cypress… I saw a strange cat. And before, I saw them before, when I was at the river's edge. A strange cat, one I've never seen before."

Mothfur and Redleaf exchanged confused glances. Mothfur pressed her nose to Sedgepaw's ear. "Sedgepaw… You hit your head hard. I'm sure there are memories that got mixed up, and you probably won't be able to recollect certain things properly for a little while."

"Yes," Redleaf agreed. "Your concussion has inflicted you with temporary amnesia, but it'll pass as you heal. What you recall now is likely a figment of your confused memory and imagination."

"I know what I saw!" Sedgepaw bristled and looked away from them. They thought she was crazy, but the more she dwelled on it, the gravity of the strange cat became clear; they were real and they trespassed. The recollection of those ghastly green eyes made Sedgepaw tremble. "They trespassed, I saw."

Redleaf and Mothfur exchanged another glance, and Redleaf sighed softly. "I'll fetch the passion flower leaves."

"That'd be best," Mothfur murmured.

Sedgepaw watched warily as Redleaf whisked away to the far side of the medicine den. When he returned, his mouth carried a bundle of leaves. Setting the leaves at his paws, he gazed down at Sedgepaw warmly. "These passion flower leaves will help you relax. The best remedy is rest."

Wrinkling her nose, Sedgepaw turned her head defiantly away from the herbs. "I can sleep on my own."

Mothfur grumbled sternly, nudging Sedgepaw's cheek. "It'll help you sleep better on your own."

Before Redleaf even took a pawful of the herbs he gathered, he pushed them towards Mothfur with a knowing grin. "You were always best at crushing herbs."

Sedgepaw tilted her head questioningly. Mothfur was a warrior not a medicine cat. However, she returned his grin and scooped up the leaves delicately. Effortlessly, she held the leaves on her paw bringing the other to gently squash the tender fibrous herbs together. Sedgepaw's ears flicked in surprise as she watched her mother dexterously mash the passion flower leaves together, the moisture that was once trapped in their green veins squished softly and released an aroma of damp earth and faint sweetness. Noticing the melancholy gleam in Redleaf's eyes, Sedgepaw could not help but wonder what her mother's relationship with the old medicine cat was.

As Mothfur conjured the poultice, there was a rustle at the entrance to the medicine den, and Heronpaw appeared with a mouthful of fresh herbs. The blue tabby tom regarded Redleaf with a respectful nod, but when his hazel eyes rested on Mothfur, Sedgepaw noticed him visibly stiffen. His long legs carried him swiftly to the herb store of the den, and he materialized by Redleaf's side in a heartbeat, his eyes narrowed.

"I didn't realize Mothfur was playing medicine cat today," he observed dryly.

"Mothfur's paws are smaller than mine. They can knead the leaves together into a richer poultice, whereas I would just blend the leaves into a thin residue." Redleaf was unphased by his apprentice's sour tone, and Mothfur carried on as if the miffed apprentice was not even there.

"Heronpaw," Mothfur murmured, "had you been here, I'm sure Redleaf would have tasked you with making the poultice for Sedgepaw."

Heronpaw lashed his tail wordlessly and stared sharply at Sedgepaw. She matched his glare, but she failed to understand why he seemed agitated. The apprentice was usually very accommodating like his mentor.

"Why do you look like you swallowed mousebile?" Sedgepaw teased, making Heronpaw flatten his ears.

"Here," Mothfur urged, holding her paw before Sedgepaw's nose as if to prevent her daughter from making another goading comment. "Eat."

Sedgepaw made a face before grudgingly lapping up the poultice. When the bitter concoction hit her tongue, her face spasmed in disgust. "Ugh! Are you trying to make me lose my appetite?"

Redleaf and Mothfur chuckled, but Heronpaw rolled his eyes. "Passion flower leaves are meant to induce sleep and promote relaxation in the muscles." He recited the purpose of the poultice effortlessly just as a bird would its song. "And I brought back the yaupon for Sedgepaw's head pain."

Heronpaw behaved so dutifully, Sedgepaw almost forgot about his tempestuous entrance. Redleaf dipped his chin to his apprentice appreciatively before turning to Mothfur. "Sedgepaw will need that after she's rested some more. Combining remedies is risky."

Heronpaw flattened his ears testily, but his tone was icily calm. "I know that. I just wanted you to know we have it." He bowed his head and gave Mothfur a pointed stare. "As the medicine cat apprentice, it's my duty."

The silence that followed was accompanied by suffocating tension. Though Sedgepaw had a paw in dreamland, she was not immune to the oppressive atmosphere wafting around the cats like a storm threatening to break. Her mind was too foggy to perceive the reason behind the unease. All she could do was bear with the discomfort of the pressure in the air, which seemed ready to collapse on them all when Mothfur stood with a lash of her tail.

"I'll be excusing myself now," she announced coldly. Sedgepaw felt a brisk lick scrape across her snout, and Mothfur's warm scent washed over her. "I'll check on you in the evening." Her whisper seemed far away, echoing from a distance.

Redleaf bowed his head to the she-cat as she made her way towards the entrance. "You're company is always a pleasure, Mothfur," he mewed in farewell.

"You're too kind, Redleaf." Mothfur sounded like she was smiling, but Sedgepaw could still make out the rigidity of her shoulders as she passed by Heronpaw on her way out. "I'll see you both later."

Heronpaw merely flicked his ears at her departure, grooming his forearm with practiced licks. Though he was quiet, Sedgepaw could not forget the bitter expression he had upon entering the den. She felt like she was walking in on a story halfway through; there were missing pieces to this tale, and it involved all three of the cats before her. Once Mothfur left, she felt her head become heavy, and her muscles unwind. The concoction she consumed burbled in her belly, and her limbs felt warm.

"Sleep well, Sedgepaw," Redleaf murmured before sleep swallowed her.

Kaleidoscopic images paraded Sedgepaw's vision, creating a pattern of reds, oranges, and yellows. It was like the sunset had been shattered into dozens of pieces, which rained down before Sedgepaw's eyes with the vividity of an inferno. A caterwaul ripped through the air, and suddenly her tourbillion vision of colors cleared to reveal a campestral plain of dry grasses that swayed against a stiff, hot breeze. A large oak tree grew centerfold in the sandhills, and it cast a shadow over the grasses for behind it was the massive form of the setting sun.

Peeling away from the tree's shadow were dozens of cats. They gazed at Sedgepaw with eyes that shone like tiny moons. However, unlike the grandiose oak, the cats did not produce shadows of their own. Among them, Sedgepaw recognized the slender frame and spiralling tabby markings of Vinestripe. He broke away from the line of cats gazing at her to approach her, and Sedgepaw felt her fur stand on end when she gazed up into the luminescent depths of his eyes. She felt like all the knowledge of the stars and beyond was cradled inside his alabaster gaze.

"The sun will set on us unless we rise."

His words started as a whisper, but then they were followed by a chorus from the cats behind him. They all told Sedgepaw the same thing. Again and again, the spectral cats chanted, while Sedgepaw could only gawk in her struggle to understand what was happening.

"What does this mean!?" she yowled. "Wait!"

When she spoke, the figures started to fade away. From either end, the cats flickered out of sight like fog fervently forced to dissipate. Only Vinestripe remained, and Sedgepaw lunged for him, hoping she could stop him from leaving her in confusion like the others. Instead, her paws pierced through him, and he vanished with the sun, which set behind the horizon, leaving Sedgepaw in the dark.

Only his whisper remained, "Rise."

Sedgepaw gazed around the quiet territory in peril, wondering wat the gravity of this message was. Her panicked gasps were drowned out by the distant sound of arguing. It rattled at her feet, coming from the ground up, splitting the earth in a fissure of blackness that matched the starless sky of her dream. Sedgepaw helpless fell into it, and she woke in her mossy nest.

"Hm?" She gazed around in confusion as her eyes struggled to focus. Sedgepaw felt trapped in a translucent, gelatinous bubble, which prevented her from interacting with the world around her by distorting her sight, making everything a coagulated blur.

Heronpaw's stony voice resounded first. "It was just a velleity to her." She heard the rustle of him fumbling through herbs, and a grunt of frustration as the piles hit the ground. "Why do you continue to treat her as if she has a say in our work?" The iciness of his tone bordered on breaking into boiling resentment.

"She vied for the apprenticeship on more than just a whim, Heronpaw," Redleaf explained calmly. "But StarClan had other plans… Her decision does not make her knowledge useless to me."

"It was not a decision. It was a mistake," Heronpaw hissed bitingly. "I am willing to bet my tail that if she did not have them, she would still be here." It was quiet, and Sedgepaw lay there wondering who they could be talking about. Is it Mothfur? "You would probably prefer that…"

"Hush, Heronpaw." Redleaf's voice rose an octave, and Sedgepaw realized Heronpaw must have struck a nerve. She rarely heard the medicine cat this agitated. "You know nothing of which you speak. Why must you let her disquiet you?"

"Because I know if she were your apprentice, she would be a medicine cat by now!" Heronpaw snapped. "Instead, you have me, and you assign me to grunt work like a damned six-moon-old greenhorn. I have been by your side since she surrendered her position, but I am still seen as nothing but an apprentice."

"Heronpaw, you'll wake Sedgepaw if you keep this up," Redleaf warned in a strained whisper. "Enough."

Sedgepaw's sight finally focused, and she wished it hadn't. The heartbreaking disappointment on Heronpaw's face was something she would not want to remember. His hazel eyes were downcast, and his voice was barely above a whisper. "You don't even deny it."

"Heronpaw…"

"No!" Heronpaw snapped again, his eyes gleaming with pain. "I don't want to hear your sympathy. If anything, you should be bestowing it on that apprentice." Sedgepaw stiffened when Heronpaw's tail flicked in her direction. "She and her kin are the ones in the dark. I know my worth. Do they know theirs?"

Sedgepaw squeezed her eyes shut when Heronpaw turned to leave, not wanting them to know she was eavesdropping. She felt her chest tighten with the overload of information she was cursed within this forsaken den of marigold. What was worse, she had no power to escape it. These walls were her prison until she recovered. Sedgepaw feared she would go mad before then. When she opened her eyes again, she realized her expression must have mirrored Redleaf's: hopelessness.


End file.
